In 1992, shortly after graduating from high school, actor Omar Epps landed a starring role opposite the late hip-hop superstar Tupac Shakur in the film Juice. A year later, Epps was cast as a star running back in the college football movie The Program. From that, Epps played baseball star Willie Mays Hays in Major League II (1994).

Then used that opportunity to portray a collegiate track star in the well-received film about college and race, Higher Learning (1995).

Epps fanbase grew when he landed on the long-running doctor show, House.

But behind all the movies, TV shows and awards you will see his true love: his wife Keisha of 17+ years.

Omar married singer Keisha Spivey (formerly of the all-female R&B trio Total) in 2006. The pair met and briefly dated in 1992. But their relationship didn’t last, and Epps says that for years he thought of Spivey as “the one who got away.”

“For us, we just took breaking up off the table,” confesses Epps. “That changed the whole dynamic of how we argue, solve problems, everything. It changes everything during the tough times.”

“But I honestly still like my girl,” Epps continues. “You can love someone but not like them. I still like her. I still have that cute and innocent type of love for her.”