Larenz Tate and Nia Long Reunite for Walmart Holiday Commercial Inspired by 'Love Jones'

The holiday season has officially begun, and Walmart is tapping into nostalgia by bringing Love Jones fans a special treat.

In a new Walmart commercial, Larenz Tate and Nia Long have reunited to give fans a nostalgic glimpse of what Darius and Nina's life could have been, based on their iconic roles from the 1997 film Love Jones. The chemistry between the two is still evident, even after almost thirty years.

The commercial beautifully ties together their characters' past while highlighting the enduring love and connection between Darius and Nina. It concludes with what appears to be their daughter capturing a photo of the couple, paying homage to Nina’s character, who was a photographer in the film.

The commercial is part of Walmart’s Deals of Desire campaign, which merges the nostalgia of beloved characters with the present-day joy of finding great deals.

In an interview with FoodSided, both Tate and Long spoke about their time filming the commercial.

“It was so much fun shooting this commercial with Walmart," said Long. "I’ve always had a lowkey desire to be in Christmas commercials, so it was so much fun to make that dream a reality.”

“I think fans have been waiting for this for a very long time and they’ll be thrilled to see our characters back together this holiday season," Tate said about how fans would react to the commercial. "These ad spots incorporate nostalgic moments from the original movie while continuing Nina and Darius’ love story and the family they’ve built together. It’s perfectly heartwarming for the holidays and Love Jones fans will love it.”

The release of the ad comes amid controversy surrounding Walmart's recent decision to scale back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Following a Supreme Court ruling that made changes to affirmative action policies, Walmart joined several other major corporations in reducing DEI measures. These changes have sparked backlash, with critics arguing that the rollback undermines efforts for greater diversity and inclusion in corporate America.

The commercial is already sparking conversations online, with some fans of Love Jones celebrating the duo’s return and some consumers saying "it's too late" for the retail giant.

Check out the commercial below.