Singer and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and her husband, Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, appeared on the Tamron Hall Show on Wednesday to discuss their long-distance marriage of twenty years. While joking about how they met, The Emmy winner shared her version of the story after Hughes recounted his, prompting laughter from both host Tamron Hall and the audience. Despite not living together due to their respective careers—Ralph in Hollywood and Hughes in Philadelphia—it was clear from the interaction that they have a strong bond after two decades of marriage. Ralph emphasized the importance of maintaining their careers while nurturing their relationship.

“We knew that we had something very special, we knew there was some depth here. So that’s when we voluntarily started couples counseling. So we wanted to make sure that this thing we have, which we firmly believe is a blessing, you take care of your blessing,”

Watch the couple’s interaction here.

The couple sees each other every two weeks, and Ralph adds, “This would not work if they didn’t deeply trust each other.”

The 67-year-old Abbott Elementary actress married Democrat Hughes, also 67, in 2005. The couple has no children together but has a blended family of four.

What are your thoughts on Sheryl Lee Ralph and Senator Hughes’s long-distance marriage? Has your career kept you away from your family for an extended period? If so, how did you maintain your bond with them?

Photo credit: Getty Images