Susan Lucci remembers how hot it was when Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos met for the first time at the 1995 All My Children tryouts.
- Lucci makes jokes about how well they get along.
- Ripa knew right away that Consuelos was “the one.”
- In 1996, they got married in secret.
What did Susan Lucci say about Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa?
Sue Lucci recently told a behind-the-scenes story about how the real-life couple met at an event honoring All My Children at 55.
Lucci, who played Erica Kane on the famous soap opera, remembered seeing Ripa and Consuelos try out together in 1995. She said they had such strong energy that everyone in the room laughed, “Get a room!”
How did the two of them meet?
They met for the first time at auditions for All My Children, where they were both cast as lovers on the show, Hayley Vaughan and Mateo Santos.
Both on and off-screen, they had obvious energy, which led to a secret wedding in Las Vegas in 1996. In 2000, they got married on the show, just like they did in real life.
Judy Blye Wilson is a casting director. What did she say about Consuelos?
Wilson said it wasn’t easy to get leaders to hire Consuelos. She showed Ripa a black-and-white picture of Consuelos, and Ripa liked him right away.
Wilson had to fight for Consuelos to get the part, even though she had already done several screen tests. She now thinks it was one of her best hiring choices.
How did Ripa feel about Consuelos while they were first meeting?
In a 2019 interview, Ripa said that the moment she saw Consuelos’ picture, she knew he was “the one.” They have three kids together and have been married for almost 30 years. They now co-host Live! with Kelly and Mark.
Who else went to the event for All My Children?
Head writer Lorraine Broderick and previous cast members Jill Larson, Eden Riegel, and Jennifer Bassey were at the party. The event celebrated the soap opera’s 55-year run and how it changed daytime TV.
What did Ripa and Consuelos do to All My Children?
- She played Hayley Vaughan.
- Consuelos played Mateo Santos.
- On-screen friends, they played different roles.
- They got married after that, both on and off-screen.