Morris Chestnut has no problem receiving compliments about his perfect physique or chatting about his latest project. But one area of his life that he prefers to keep private is his marriage to Pam Byse. While the couple may not be all over social media or have paparazzi hounding them every day, they do have a beautiful love story.
Let’s take a closer look inside Morris Chestnut’s very private marriage.
How did Morris Chestnut meet Pam Byse?
While growing up, Morris said he dealt with self-doubt because he didn’t have light skin and curly hair like the popular celebrities of that era. He told The Breakfast Club he never had a problem getting girls, but he did struggle with some insecurities.
For as long as he could remember, he knew he wanted to start a family. He also wanted to be a young dad so he could grow up with his kids. During a night out with friends, fate would put him in the path to meet the woman who would help make his dreams come true.
Morris was working on a television movie in Atlanta and decided to hit up a nightclub with his buddies, including Deion Sanders and actor Thomas “Tiny” Lister. Since Tiny lived in the area and knew all the popular people in the city, Morris asked him about a particular woman in the club. Morris explained to Sister 2 Sister magazine that Tiny told him not to waste his time because the woman, quote, “don’t give anybody no play.”
As soon as Morris heard those words, it was game on. He said, “That’s the woman I need to go holler at.”
How he knew she was the one
That woman turned out to be Pam Byse, and eventually, she and Morris began dating. He soon realized Pam was going to win his heart over for good. He knew he wanted her to be his wife because she was already an auntie to her three older sisters’ kids, and Morris loved the way she interacted with them.
Of course, he was smitten by her beauty as well, but the fact that she would be an excellent mother to his future kids really won him over. In addition to that, he told Essence magazine he also admired the way she respected her mother and her family in general, and those were some of the qualities that he found most attractive.
Morris kept his eyes on the prize and the two were married in 1995. They went on to have two children, a son Grant and their daughter Paige. Two loving parents and two beautiful kids sound like the ingredients for a picture-perfect family, but the Chestnut’s marriage has had its rocky moments.
Divorce rumors
In 2005, after 10 years of marriage, The St. Louis American website reported Morris and Pam were calling it quits. According to the news source, a spokesperson for the couple blamed their split on irreconcilable differences.
Fortunately for everyone involved, it was all just a rumor. Morris spoke to Essence magazine about it in 2009. He said that people were calling him from all over the country to ask if it was true. After a local DJ announced his divorce live on air, Morris called the radio station to set the record straight.
Morris said his wife wasn’t concerned about all of the speculation, but he was. He told Essence, “You can’t really confirm or deny every single rumor, but I definitely spoke out on that one.”
Rocked by a scandal
The rumors about his marriage didn’t end there. In 2016, a guy named Dante Lamont Chestnut took to his Facebook page and claimed he was Morris’s first-born son. He also called Morris a deadbeat dad who bounced on him and his mom after Morris gained popularity from the 1991 film Boyz N the Hood.
With his reputation at stake, Morris addressed the rumor head-on during an interview with The Breakfast Club. He said that at the age of 17, he started a consensual fling with a friend. When he turned 18, the woman came to him and told him she was pregnant. Morris decided to get in an official relationship with her so they could become a family.
Sadly, their relationship was turbulent and Morris said they were constantly breaking up and getting back together. After their final breakup, he landed a role in Boyz N the Hood, and the woman filed a paternity suit against him. To settle things, he was forced to take a paternity test when the child was three-years-old. The results revealed Morris was not the father.
Morris said it was a very difficult situation because his mom and sister had accepted Dante as a part of their family. He was also a little disappointed that the child he had accepted wasn’t his biological son.
Morris still had compassion for Dante because it was clear Dante’s mom never told him the results of the paternity test. Morris felt Dante was being brainwashed because although his mom knew Morris wasn’t the father, she was constantly bashing him on social media and calling him a no-good baby daddy. Morris did the right thing by sitting Dante down and telling him the truth: that he didn’t abandon him and that he wasn’t his biological father.
During his interview with The Breakfast Club, Morris asked people on social media to be kind to Dante. He also encouraged Dante’s mom (pictured above with Dante) to find his real dad. However, Morris said that to this day, the woman refuses to reveal Dante’s biological father.
Since the couple is so famously private, many people wondered how the ordeal was affecting their marriage. However, it’s evident that the Chestnuts are strong and united behind the scenes. Morris spoke to HuffPost Live and said, “You can either grow apart or grow together and we’ve been fortunate to grow together.”
Why he keeps things private
Many people wonder why Morris chooses to keep his marriage private, and he has a great answer for inquiring minds. He explained that for some people, Hollywood becomes their life and it can creep into their marriage. That’s why he prefers to keep his professional life separate from his personal life.
During an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, Morris said it’s best to keep his private life under wraps because the more you put out there, the more stories get made up. This is also another reason why he refrains from posting a lot of personal things on social media.
On Live with Kelly and Ryan, Morris talked about how lucky he felt to still be with Pam after all these years. When he was asked to provide the secret to his long marriage, he said that it all boils down to his wife being an incredible person. Morris also said communication is important and this includes simply listening and not always trying to figure things out.
When it comes to making things last, Morris told Upscale Magazine he’s a fan of embracing traditional gender roles. He said, “You have to let your wife be the woman, and your wife has to let you be the man.”
What’s next for the Chestnut family?
After celebrating 25 years of marriage in 2020, Morris and Pam are still going strong. Not only is their marriage solid, but their children are now grown and making a name for themselves as well. Their son Grant graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2019. He now works as an International Sales Coordinator for an educational company. And their daughter Paige is a print and runway model for Wünder Management.
It’s clear Morris and Pam are pros at making a marriage last and keeping their family intact through all the ups and downs. We wish them the best and many more years of love and happiness.
Do you agree that remaining quiet about your private life is the best way to have a successful relationship? Let us know your thoughts or drop us a comment on our YouTube channel!