The reality TV curse has claimed many marriages, with couples getting divorced after sharing their lives with audiences and prying cameras.
But Love & Marriage: Detroit couple Anthony and Dr. LaToya Thompson say they’re not concerned about the curse because their union is rooted in faith.
The Thompsons are one of three couples featured on the new OWN unscripted series.
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Urban Hollywood 411 spoke with the couple about how they’ve been able to maintain their marriage for 14 years.
“We have our ups and downs, as everyone does, but our foundation is strong,” LaToya said. “And so if our foundation is strong, I don’t think anything can come and knock us off our square.”
Anthony emphasized, he’s not concerned about the curse.
“One thing in our faith, we break all curses, that’s not even something that’s going to touch us because of our belief in our faith,” he explained.
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The other couples featured on the series are Russell and Kolby Harris, and Brandon and Kristina Bowman Smith.
The show comes from reality TV creator Carlos King and his Kingdom Reign Entertainment.
After launching successful Love & Marriage editions in Huntsville and Washington, D.C., King decided to expand the franchise to his hometown of Detroit.
While the Motor City is not known as a reality TV mecca, King noted that he’s had success with his other shows by choosing locations other than New York, L.A., Miami or Atlanta.
“Huntsville was never on anyone’s radar until I put them on the map. The success of Belle Collective has a lot to do with Jackson, Mississippi, being a city people don’t know much about,” King said via Zoom. “It’s always going to the cities, you least expect.”
King added, “I want to continue showing cities that the world has not been exposed to.”
All three couples on the new series have “deep ties” to Detroit and decided to stay in the city as it attempts to make a comeback after years of economic problems and population decline.
The reality TV newcomers all knew each other before joining the show, something King says makes their on-camera interactions more authentic.
“That definitely helps when they have a rich history, because it goes to show you they have an investment with each other and that they care about each other,” he explained.
Love & Marriage: Detroit is executive produced by Carlos King, Angela Dugan, Brent Nisbett and Tarin Laughlin.
The series premieres Saturday, June 24 at 9pm ET/PT on OWN, following a new episode of Love & Marriage: Huntsville at 8pm ET/PT.
Below are details on the three married couples featured on the new series:
The Harrises
Russell and Kolby Harris are a young couple who have been married three years, and share a two-year-old daughter. Because he considers himself head of household, Russell makes the decision to start attending divinity school before even consulting with his wife, and Kolby is feeling she should be included more in these important family decisions. She is the daughter of a pastor, and isn’t sure she wants to revisit that world for a second time as an adult.
Russell also runs a non-profit called Soar Detroit which focuses on literacy and sports. Kolby is a rising social media influencer, which causes a rift with some of the more established influencers in the group. Kristina and Kolby are like sisters and both are in the social media influencer space. However, the friends become at odds when an opportunity for a collaboration presents itself and Kristina is apprehensive about joining forces. This leads the two to have a disagreement that affects their husbands who are also friends.
The Smiths
Brandon and Kristina Bowman-Smith have been married 11 years and have two young daughters. The couple resides in a penthouse that overlooks Detroit. Kristina is a well known fashion designer, stylist and influencer in Detroit, and Brandon is the owner of Star Factory, an artist development program, where he trains young people of Detroit with a dream to become singers and recording artists.
The couple are going through marital woes with Brandon’s desire to become the Barry Gordy of 2023 with his showcase highlighting Detroit’s musical talent. But Kristina is strong in her faith and not always pleased when Brandon must go out to the clubs for his talent development business, which has been causing tension between them since they got married. Brandon is also holding a secret he doesn’t share with his wife, that he is working with a few new female artists in Detroit, but when Kristina finds this out…all hell breaks loose.
The Thompsons
Anthony and Dr. LaToya Thompson have been married 14 years and share two sons. Currently, Anthony works for touring company Live Nation, and is the owner of a production studio. In this household, LaToya is the breadwinner as a successful sports physical therapist and the owner of Opulence Wines, but you will never hear Anthony admit that. In fact, when Anthony was offered a production gig in Atlanta, he accepted the job and temporarily moved to Atlanta against his wife’s wishes, eventually returning to Detroit once LaToya put her foot down.
Anthony also started a men’s organization where the goal is for men to have an outlet to discuss the root of the issue affecting men in relationships and life. He even puts together a Man’s Movement March in the city of Detroit and invites “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” star (and Michigan native) Marsau Scott to be a guest speaker. Meanwhile, LaToya is struggling as a Black wine owner in a predominantly white business and disagrees with her husband who intimates he helped build the company.
