Ice-T and Wife Coco Austin Have Quite the Origin Story
At the end of Season 22 of Law & Order SVU, NYPD Sargeant Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T) and former partner and fiancé Sgt. Phoebe Baker called off their wedding, deciding they were better off friends. It would've been the second marriage for Fin, who shared a son, Ken, with ex-wife Teresa Randall.
Off-screen, Ice-T has said "yes" to marriage. He and his wife, Coco Austin, tied the knot in the early aughts. Though some celebs keep their love lives largely out of the spotlight, Ice-T and Austin—a model and TV personality who has more Instagram followers than her husband (3 million to his 1.2 million)—do not. Here's what we know about their marriage.
Is Ice-T still married to Coco?
Yes. Ice-T and Coco Austin tied the knot in January 2002 and renewed their vows in June 2011. That same year, Ice Loves Coco, a reality show about their day-to-day lives premiered on E!, lasting for three seasons. Coco and the couple's daughter, Chanel, recently joined Ice-T when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
"It was definitely a memorable event! Really great moment for Ice. So proud of him," Coco posted on Instagram.
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Related: Fans Are Loving Coco Austin and Daughter Chanel's 'Weird' Dance
What is Coco Austin famous for?
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Nicole Natalie Marrow (née Austin), nicknamed Coco, started her career as a model, making her big break when she landed the cover of Sports Illustrated—her first-ever cover!—in 1997. But she's also a TV personality, dancer and actress.
Her resumé includes credits in Southwest Babes (2001), Desert Rose (2002) and The Dirty Monks (2004); and she replaced Holly Madison (former girlfriend of Hugh Hefner) as Bo Peep in the Las Vegas burlesque review Peepshow, a role she held from December 2012 to September 2013.
But Coco is perhaps best known for teaming up with her husband to star in a reality-TV show about their lives, Ice Loves Coco, which aired for three seasons from 2011-14 on E!
How did Ice-T and his wife Coco meet?
Appearing on Mario Lopez: One on One in 2017, Ice-T and Coco shared that they were introduced by a mutual friend on a movie set. Apparently, Ice-T didn't want to do the movie, but he agreed to participate as a favor to a friend. Still, he was in a bad mood about it. Coco was a model on the set, and a friend/the producer thought she could cheer Ice-T up.
His first words? "Would you ever consider dating a gangster rapper?"
Coco didn't know what that even meant, really, but she went on to date and marry Ice-T anyway.
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In a 2022 Instagram post on Valentine's Day, Ice-T revealed the producer was Rickey Ricardo Rolls Royce Rick and posted a snap of the fateful meeting.
"We’ve been happily married 21 years," Ice-T wrote at the time.
What nationality is Coco?
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Coco Austin was raised in California. But in a 2018 Instagram post, sharing about a quick trip to Serbia, she revealed that she has Serbian roots and that her maternal grandparents are from Yugoslavia.
"It took 39 years to make it here and it was very surreal even though I only got to spend a day there! It was worth it," Coco wrote in the caption.
Related: Coco Austin's Photos in a Matching Pink Bikini With Her Daughter Spark Fan Reaction
What is the age gap between Ice-T and Coco?
Ice-T and his wife, Coco, are 21 years, one month and one day apart. Ice-T was born on Feb. 16, 1958, and Coco was born on March 17, 1979.
When did Ice-T and Coco get married?
Ice-T and Coco married in January 2002 and renewed their vows in June 2011.
In a 2012 episode of Conan, the pair dished on keeping their marriage fresh.
"I personally like to keep a pair of heels right by the bed just in case there's some freaky moment going on."
"I'm a shoe freak," Ice-T admitted.
"You have to key into your man and figure out what he wants," Coco added later. "A lot of guys like lingerie, but he doesn't like lingerie. He likes shoes."
Whatever works.
How many times has Ice-T been married?
Coco Austin is Ice-T's first wife. However, Ice-T has had children with two other women. His high-school girlfriend, Adrienne, gave birth to their daughter, LeTesha, in 1976 when Ice-T was 18. He also dated his longtime partner, Darlene Ortiz, from 1984 to 2001 and the two share a son, Ice Tracy Marrow Jr., nicknamed Little Ice, who was born in November 1991.
Related: Ice-T Reveals 7-Year-Old Daughter Sleeps in Same Bed as Him and Wife Coco
Who is Darlene to Ice-T?
Darlene Ortiz is Ice-T's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his son, Ice Tracy Marrow Jr., who was born on Nov. 23, 1991.
Related: Coco Austin Defends Bathing Daughter in Sink After TikTok Goes Viral
How many kids do Ice-T and his wife Coco have?
Ice-T and Coco have one daughter, Chanel, who is 7 years old. Chanel is a regular on her parents' social media channels, dancing and otherwise goofing off, and has her own Instagram with more than 440K followers. In his speech on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ice-T noted that Chanel could one day be in a position to stand behind the podium, too. "She has no fear of the stage," Ice-T said.
In a 2023 interview for the That Moment with Daymond John podcast, Ice-T revealed that he and his wife still share a family bed with their daughter. “I am so much more connected to her than my other kids," he said. "I’m comfortable. I’m in a cruise pattern. I was there when Coco was pregnant, I went to the hospital, and Chanel still sleeps in the bed with us.”
Next, 'Law & Order: SVU' Delayed Due to the Hollywood Strikes: All About Season 25