Love Jones' Larenz Tate Has a Long History With the American Black Film Festival

When actor and producer Larenz Tate walks into a room, you feel it. There's a confidence, a charm, and an unmistakable warmth that makes it easy to understand why he was chosen as this year's American Black Film Festival (ABFF) ambassador. "Miami always shows love," he says with a wide smile. "And I'm here for it."

This week, Tate takes center stage at ABFF 2025 not only as an ambassador but as part of a cultural celebration marking nearly three decades of spotlighting Black stories. The festival, founded by Jeff and Nicole Friday, has become a beacon for filmmakers, actors, and creatives of color from all over the world. Here, diversity is not a trend; it is the elemental foundation.

"What Jeff and Nicole have done over the past 29 years is nothing short of revolutionary," Tate says. "They created a safe space for our narratives, for Black people and people of color to celebrate our stories, to have our voices heard on our terms."

For Tate, being ABFF's ambassador is more than a title — it's a full-circle moment. He has been involved with the festival since its early days, even before it was based in Miami. "I remember when it was the Acapulco Black Film Festival," he recalls. "Then it moved to Miami, and I stayed committed. So being named ambassador this year, especially alongside Nia Long, it just felt right."

That partnership with Long is especially meaningful this year as ABFF celebrates the cultural legacy of Love Jones, the 1997 romantic comedy and drama that became a touchstone for generations.

"Love Jones followed me through my life," Tate says. "At the time, we didn't know we were creating something that would become this cultural gem. We just knew it felt different. It was love, poetry, Black intimacy on screen in a way we hadn't seen before."

Set in Chicago, the film captured a tender and complicated romance between Tate's character Darius and Long's Nina. For Tate, filming Love Jones in his hometown added another layer of meaning.

"I grew up in those neighborhoods. I knew those corners, those restaurants," he shares. "It was special. I even took the cast and crew to meet my grandmother. We did it Chicago-style."

Asked what memory stands out most from filming, he laughs without hesitation: "Kissing Nia Long. Let's be real. That's what I remember!"

Beyond the romance and nostalgia, Love Jones marked a turning point in Tate's career. "It allowed me to step into being a leading man," he says. "Up until that point, most of the roles available to Black men in the '90s were rooted in violence or stereotypes. I was proud to be in some of those gritty, classic stories. But Love Jones? It flipped the script."

He vividly remembers getting the script and feeling like it was something completely new. "There were no guns, no crime, no cliches. It was just two people navigating love. It was human. It made space for us to just be." Nearly thirty years later, the film still resonates. "Each generation finds something new in it. People still debate who was right or wrong in the relationship. That's the beauty of it — it still sparks conversation."

Tate and Long will reunite onstage at ABFF for "Remembering Love Jones," a conversation between the two leads about the film's long-lasting legacy. But while Tate will look back at his cultural contributions during the panel, he is just as passionate about the festival's role in amplifying new voices.

"This is where the next generation gets discovered," he says. "Executives come to Miami looking for the next great filmmaker, the next great story — and ABFF gives them that platform...Some of these films go on to be acquired by major studios. For many artists, this is their shot; their moment. And they deserve it."

"Remembering Love Jones" at the American Black Film Festival. 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach; 305-673-3330; abff.com.