Men On Marriage: Sex And The City’s Gilles Marini

Gilles Marini burst onto the scene as Dante, the sexy neighbor who tempted Samantha Jones (and most likely your fiancée) within an inch of her life in the 2008 blockbuster Sex and The City Movie.

Since then, the former baker from the south of France has secured his heartthrob status by dancing his way into second place on the hit American Show, Dancing with The Stars, as well as guest starring on Nip and Tuck and playing Sarah Walker’s sexy new French lover, Luc Laurent, on Brothers and Sisters.

Though he spends much of his time on-screen seducing women, in reality, he’s a shy and devoted husband to his beautiful wife, Carole, and a proud father to son Georges, 10, and daughter Juliana, 3. Gilles, 33, spoke to Staggered’s relationship expert Brenda Della Casa about his tips on how to sweep your woman off of her feet, keep your marriage super-sexy and to get his advice on slimming down before the big day.

STAGGERED: How and when did you meet your wife, Carole?

GM: Carole and I met in a bar in the south of France, and when I laid eyes on her, oulala, I completely felt that she was the sexiest women on Earth. We have now been married for 11 years in April. I am a very lucky man.

STAGGERED: How did you know she was “The One”?

GM: Well, it took me some time; I’d say a couple of days (Laughs). I mean, it’s hard to explain in words. To me, Carole has everything; she completes me in so many different ways. She balances me out and has always been so supportive of all of my dreams, whatever they were. She is perfect.

STAGGERED: How did you propose? Were you nervous about the proposal?

GM: Well we never did the proposal thing. We actually married at City Hall in the U.S. but are planning a “real wedding” very soon. Carole very much deserves that.

STAGGERED: What would your advice be to Staggered readers who want to make the proposal special?

GM: Make sure you think how you will do it many times over. I am in the process of planning this for Carole now and I’ve come up with pretty cool ideas. It’s very special moment for your woman and something she will be talking about it for a long time, so make it good. It could be simple and still be beautiful. Also, make sure you do it with all of your heart and passion and do not worry about how you will be seen or getting emotional. I am ready to give this moment to Carole so I know how you guys must feel.

STAGGERED: Many of our readers worry about “cold feet” and feeling a bit nervous about the wedding and marriage. If a friend came to you and said he had cold feet, what advice would you give him?

GM: I would tell him to believe in and have faith in his relationship. I personally don’t think anyone should have cold feet because you are talking about the woman of your life. Having cold feet is so small in comparison to that. Love is everything. I would tell Staggered readers to relax and make that day the best day of her life.

STAGGERED: You and Carole seem to have such a happy and loving marriage, what’s your secret?

GM: We have a lot of love for one another and we support one another. We communicate with one another, and respect one another. We also share strong family values, and yes, we have a lot of sex (Laughs).

STAGGERED: What have you learned about women since you married Carole that you wish you had known in the beginning of your relationship?

GM: I have learned a lot from being with Carole. I have learned that being with someone you love means working to find the right balance, that no one is the “boss” in the relationship. It’s important to share the good and the bad times because it’s always easier to fight things together than it is to do it alone. I was too much of a control freak when we met and she helped me change with time. Thank God for my wife.

STAGGERED: How do you two keep your relationship romantic and passionate?

GM: After so many years together, we are still in the “honeymoon stage” of our relationship. What we have is something very special. I am impatient to come home at night, impatient to talk to her to make love to her. Again, this is hard to explain but it’s there.

STAGGERED: Having two beautiful children of your own, can you tell Staggered readers how children changed your relationship?

GM: Well, our relationship got even better we had Georges in 1999. We clearly know that we are together forever and this bond we share, this amazing gift of been a parent, just reinforces the love we have for each other.

STAGGERED: Sex and The City is one of television’s most beloved television shows. What was it like to be a part of a pop-culture phenomenon? How did Carole Feel about it?

GM: Well, my wife loved it. She was very proud of me, even if my part was a bit crazy. She knew it was a new beginning for us. I am very, very proud to have been part of the Sex and The City Movie.

STAGGERED: Playing Dante secured you millions of female fans, how does Carole handle your being the center of such worldwide female attention?

GM: She is always smiling and she is happy. She says she would change nothing if we had to do it again. Carole is very, very supportive of me.

STAGGERED: What would you say were the biggest differences between your public sex symbol persona and the father/husband Carole knows at home?

GM: Well, behind the curtain we are very happy together. I am actually very shy and a million miles away from the character of Dante. Yes, there is always a little bit of you in the character but it is up to you to find out what it could be (Laughs). I am also a very dedicated father and my kids mean the world to me. I would give everything back for them and I would die for them.

I am a kid in my own mind also, so our two children really have a good time. Carole is pretty much the police at home. In the end, she has three kids to take care of! (Laughs)

STAGGERED: Are there any perks or limitations to being a sex symbol?

GM: No, it is what you do with it that is important. I never see myself as a sex symbol, never.

STAGGERED: Has fame impacted your relationship in any way? Have you had to learn to make the most of your time together? Is it harder to go out on the town? Has it been hard to find a balance?

GM: Well, yes. There are times when you just want to be yourself and you want to take the kids to the movies or to the park but there are always people watching, judging or taking pictures. I have no real complaints at all though as it’s part of the deal as an actor . In this business that I am in, it is the people out there who make the careers that we have, so we must respect and share this ride with our fans, who are really our friends.

STAGGERED: Many of our readers are looking to get in shape before their wedding and many are hoping you will share a few of your fitness secrets with them. Would you, please?

GM: My best advice would be to stop eating useless carbs. If you are playing a high intense game, then load up because you don’t want to get exhausted in the middle of the game, but otherwise, try to avoid carbs, sugar, salt, fried foods and soda. I started living this lifestyle in 2004 and it changed my life. By rarely eating pasta, rice, bread, fried foods and avoiding soda, the change will happen fast and be for good.

To find out more about Gilles, please visit www.gillesmarini.com

Brenda Della Casa is an internationally-published author and a freelance writer and columnist who specializes in romance, lifestyle and wellness features.  In addition to her writing, Brenda spent nine years interviewing thousands of men and women while casting some of television’s most well-known reality shows.

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