Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa have been married for nearly three decades, and have been building their careers together with three children, all while becoming one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples. Their romance started when they played on-screen lovers Mateo Santos and Hayley Vaughan in the popular soap opera All My Children.
However, their connection quickly turned into something tangible. During the February 12 episode of Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, Consuelos reminisced about the exact moment he fell for Ripa, which was the beginning of many milestones they have shared.
Mark Consuelos wasn’t looking for love on the set of ‘All My Children’
Consuelos was not looking for romance when he arrived at the auditions for All My Children. His agent even warned him that landing the role was unlikely, so his only priority was proving he was the right fit for the project. Mark arrived determined to give everything he had to secure the role of Mateo Santos.
Being a newcomer, Mark recalled feeling intense pressure, adding that if it had been his third role rather than his first, maybe he would not have been so tense. Soon enough, Mark found another goal to focus on, which was getting to know Ripa.
Mark Consuelos thought Kelly Ripa was adorable
The moment Consuelos first saw Ripa remains vivid in his memory. He recalled how she was casually sporting large hair rollers in the rehearsal hall, which made her look adorable. Her lively personality and effortless charm in the room instantly caught Consuelos’ attention, but it was not until Ripa offered to help him run lines for his re-audition that he began to realize his feelings.
She invited him to her apartment to practice, and when he arrived, she opened the door wearing a robe. Another memorable moment was when they were rehearsing in one of the dressing rooms, and Ripa wore perfectly fitted jeans and stylish heels.