While discussing the success of Sinners, writer-director Ryan Coogler and his producer wife Zinzi recalled their first date together
The Cooglers wed in 2016 and share two children together
Their film Sinners has been a box office hit, becoming one of the highest-grossing horror movies in box office history
For Ryan and Zinzi Coogler, the magic of the movie theater has always held a special place in their hearts. It is, after all, where they went on their first date.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter for the 2025 Met Gala, the Sinners director and his wife and co-producer on the project discussed their amazement over the box office success of the vampire thriller. The film’s current box office haul is $237 million — nearly $180 million domestically and over $57 million overseas — according to Box Office Mojo.
“We poured so much into this film and had so much fun making it. It was almost a crime,” Zinzi, 40, said while noting that “the audiences loving it just as much as we are is all we could ever ask for.”
Ryan, 38, shared that watching movies in a physical movie theater “means everything to us as a couple,” revealing that their first date was seeing 2000’s Bring It On on the big screen.
“That was our first time going out as kids and holding hands and sharing popcorn,” Ryan revealed as Zinzi smiled on.
Tim P. Whitby/Getty
Ryan and Zinzi Coogler at the European premiere of ‘Sinners.’
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Meeting in their teens, the couple began dating during their undergraduate years at Saint Mary’s College in California. The two wed in May 2016 and share two children together. During the New York premiere of Sinners, the couple subtly seemed to share their family is growing as Zinzi’s burgundy gown showed off a baby bump.
“We met when we were 13 or 14. When you are in a relationship with someone for that long, you pull each other into each other’s lives,” Zinzi recently told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview surrounding Sinners.
Related: How Sinners Director Ryan Coogler and Wife Zinzi’s Relationship Went from College Sweethearts to Hollywood Power Couple
Taylor Hill/Getty
Ryan and Zinzi Coogler at the 2025 Met Gala.
Ryan, who is known as the mind behind visionary projects such as the Black Panther and Creed series, as well as impactful stories like his directorial debut Fruitvale Station, has shared how his wife was supportive of his career from the very beginning — such as buying him an expensive screenwriting software when he was struggling in college.
“My wife, she was my girl at the time, [and] they had a software where you could write screenplays. I was trying to write in Microsoft Word. It’s impossible because your format gotta be right,” he said in a Hot 97 interview.
“I was broke, playing football on the little scholarship money,” Ryan said, noting his time at Saint Mary’s College of California where he met Zinzi. “And my wife scrapped together some cheese and bought me Final Draft, which is the software that you write your movies on. And she got me that.”
Their latest project together, Sinners, is now in theaters.
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