Some couples stay together for so long that the public can even start to doubt if they are still a couple at all.
This can be both a blessing and a curse.
On the one hand, having such a solid relationship that it never makes any headlines must mean that it’s built on a strong foundation.
On the other hand, it leaves the door open for rumors to creep in from the outside.
Vanessa Simmons and Mike Wayans’ Low-Profile 20-Year Relationship
Vanessa Simmons has always been committed to keeping her romantic life away from the cameras.
RELATED: How Nelly and Ashanti Got Back Together
Her most high-profile relationship started around two decades ago, when she began seeing Mike Wayans, son of comic actor Damon Wayans.
But are they still together?
In the ever-changing world of show business, Vanessa and Mike have somehow managed to keep their relationship going strong for almost twenty years.
According to Distractify, they started dating in 2005 and have reportedly not looked back.
It is only “reportedly” because there is such little visual evidence of the two together that fans have to rely on scarce media reports to stay informed on their situation.
Vanessa Said ‘Relationships Are Hard As It Is …’
You might expect that such well-known public figures in a relationship might be more exposed to the bright lights and cameras.
But for Vanessa and Michael, keeping a low profile has always been a super important goal.
As a rule, Mike does not make appearances on Vanessa’s reality show Growing Up Hip Hop.
Vanessa gave a pretty blunt explanation for this, as reported in Heavy in 2019.
She said, “Relationships are hard as it is. Adding the public to it can get more messy. I just try to keep as low a profile as I can and focus on my work.”
Vanessa Wants To Keep Her Daughter’s Life Normal
But maybe even more crucially, keeping media attention at bay is important for the couple to be able to raise their daughter the way they want to.
As Vanessa told Bossip, having people judge everything about your personal life is hard, let alone your family’s.
She went on to say that she wanted to keep her daughter Ava’s life as normal as possible for as long as she could.
RELATED: Where is Isabella Cruise Now?
Vanessa Slipped Details On Her Life With Mike
Despite her commitment to privacy, Vanessa has on occasion let slip some details about her life with Mike.
And some of her remarks are what has led fans to start having some questions about their relationship.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2017, Vanessa revealed why she and Mike have so far only had one child.
Vanessa Simmons Speaks Out About Motherhood
The interview covered a range of topics, with one of the focuses being on motherhood and what Vanessa had learned about being a parent.
RELATED: Rihanna Speaks Out on Motherhood
According to the reality star, it was all about proper communication.
She said that the biggest thing for her and Mike when it came to Ava was making sure they were on the same page about everything.
Why Vanessa and Mike Decided To Not Have More Kids
But although Vanessa and Mike sound like they have a handle on parenting, they made a conscious decision not to have any more kids.
And the reason why might come as a surprise.
According to Vanessa, the couple agreed that they wouldn’t have any more children until they were married.
This interview came out in 2017, around 12 years into their relationship.
But by that point, Mike hadn’t even asked Vanessa to marry him.
Even today, the couple are yet to get engaged.
Based on that, it could be that the couple have changed their minds about having more kids.
But in her interview, Vanessa seemed very confident that marriage and more children were in their future together.
She told ET, “Dealing with a 3 year old is very challenging, but I think eventually yes, after Mike and I tie the knot,” meaning that she was sure that this would eventually happen.
Fans Speak Out On Vanessa And Mike’s Relationship
Before and after the intriguing interview, fans have had their say online about the situation with Vanessa and her partner.
Many have decided to praise women like Vanessa for being beautiful, successful, and talented all while holding down a steady long-term relationship.
However, others are more concerned that Vanessa is not being treated properly.
One commenter wrote that both partners had previously expressed interest in getting married, and yet there was no ring in sight.
Now, obviously, there are plenty of couples that don’t see marriage as particularly important for their love for each other or for starting a family.
But based on Vanessa’s own words, she is someone who values marriage and feels that it’s an important step to take before having any more kids.
How Vanessa Feels About Having Ava Child Out Of Wedlock
What’s more, she previously opened up about her feelings regarding having Ava while still unmarried.
In 2014, she allegedly said in an interview with Essence, “There’s this whole idea of first comes the marriage then the baby carriage so I was so nervous.”
But what allegedly made her less nervous was her expectation that a wedding would soon follow the birth of her daughter.
She even said that she and Mike had had conversations about it.
Vanessa stated, “Of course we talk about that and it’s looking good.”
Vanessa Simmons’ Dream Wedding
At the time, the only thing that Vanessa claimed was stopping her from speeding up her plans was that she didn’t want to be pregnant when she walked down the aisle.
She even opened up about knowing exactly what kind of wedding she wanted.
Not only did she dream of having a big beautiful wedding, but she also wanted it to be a destination wedding, meaning it took place somewhere exotic.
She also stated her desire to show off her figure in a long flowing dress.
Why Won’t Michael Wayans Put A Ring On It?
From the way she spoke in 2014, Vanessa sounded like she had it all planned out, and very little meant more to her than becoming Mike’s wife.
But ten years down the road, the couple are still in the exact same spot, and therefore have not had any more kids like Vanessa so obviously wanted.
Could this be due to reluctance on Mike’s part, even though they’ve been together so long?
Because the couple are so determined to keep private matters private, we’ll probably never know.
Vanessa’s Success In The Entertainment Industry
But although her personal life is shrouded in mystery and seems to have reached a fixed point, Vanessa has continued to forge ahead in her professional life.
She has done acting, appearing on shows like Guiding Light and movies like Boogie Town.
She was also the host of a couple of shows, including Project Runway: Threads.
On top of that, she also worked as a model at one point.
She was even included in Maxim Magazine’s Hot List in 2006.
Vanessa Simmons Is A Successful Entrepreneur
As well as a model and an actor, Vanessa is also a very good businesswoman.
She has an alleged estimated net worth of about $8 million.
She owns the skincare line Sugar Me.
She also has her own clothing brand called Glitter and Lace.
And she and her sister Angela have the footwear line Pastry together.
In 2021, Pastry was actually named the best dance sneaker in the United States.
Vanessa and Angela partner with a bunch of NBA dance teams, as well as NFL teams.
Despite coming from a wealthy and famous family, Vanessa has wasted no time in carving out her own path and living her own life.
With that being the case, she probably doesn’t really care what anyone thinks about her relationship with her baby daddy.
