Who is Queen Latifah’s talented partner Eboni Nichols? The choreographer once cheered for the LA Lakers, worked on Jane the Virgin, and recently made her Met Gala debut wearing a Thom Browne ‘fit

May 31 , 2024

Queen Latifah and Eboni Nichols pose in complementary black outfits at the 2024 Met Gala in New York. Photo: Reuters

Earlier this month, Queen Latifah made her debut at the Met Gala alongside her long-time partner, Eboni Nichols. The duo walked the green and white carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York dressed in complementary Thom Browne designs.

Queen Latifah makes her Met Gala debut at the 2024 event alongside her partner Eboni Nichols. Photo: Getty Images

While they’re very private, the duo are no strangers to the red carpet. According to People, they were spotted holding hands at the Cannes Film Festival’s AMFAR Gala in 2023. However, their presence at the 2024 Met Gala elevated their night-out glam to new heights.

Eboni Nichols walks the red carpet at the 2024 Met Gala. Photo: Getty Images

In an industry where celebrity privacy is rare, Queen Latifah, 54, and Eboni Nichols, 46, stand out for their commitment to keeping their personal life under wraps. Still, Nichols and Latifah have both had prominent careers in entertainment. Despite being the lesser-known of the two, Nichols has achieved a lot both in her personal and professional life too.

Here’s what you need to know about Eboni Nichols.

What does Eboni Nichols do?

Eboni Nichols attends the AMFAR Cannes Gala 2023 at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc in May 2023. Photo: Getty Images

After earning her BFA in theatre and dance from Chapman University in Southern California, Nichols went on to make her mark on the entertainment industry. She’s a seasoned professional choreographer, having toured with the likes of Rihanna, Beyoncé and Usher, according to her Emmy’s bio.

She’s been the choreographer for multiple TV shows and movies

Eboni Nichols arrives at the Thom Browne fashion show during 2024 New York Fashion Week. Photo: Getty Images

Per her IMDB page, she has credits as the performance producer for The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors and as the show choreographer for the Oscars, both in 2022. Beyond the stage, she’s reportedly contributed her choreography to hit TV shows like Jane the Virgin and Fresh Off the Boat. Before her TV work, Eboni was a Laker Girl, a cheerleader with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

How did Eboni Nichols and Queen Latifah meet?

Eboni Nichols and her partner Queen Latifah at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. Photo: Getty Images

Queen Latifah and Nichols first crossed paths back in 2009 on the set of Dancing with the Stars, according to Entertainment Tonight. The pair reportedly started dating in 2013, but only officially confirmed their romance in 2021 during Latifah’s speech at the BET Awards.

The couple prefers to keep their relationship very private. “I don’t have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being gay, but I do have a problem discussing my personal life,” Queen Latifah told The New York Times in 2008.

Do Eboni Nichols and Queen Latifah have any kids together?

In 2019, Eboni and Queen Latifah welcomed their son Rebel into the world. Nichols was reportedly spotted with a baby bump in October 2018 and, soon after, the couple’s son was born. It wasn’t until February 2023 though that the trio was reportedly seen all together attending a Harlem Globetrotters game in NYC.

Fame and celebrity

Nichols and Latifah reportedly met on the set of Dancing with the Stars in 2009, then began dating in 2013, but only went public with the relationship in 2021 – they now share a son, Rebel
A sought-after choreographer, Nichols has toured with Rihanna, Beyoncé and Usher, and notably worked on the Kennedy Center Honors and Oscars in 2022