When Gina Rodriguez met her husband, Joe LoCicero, she had endured two consecutive heartbreaks with Henri Esteve and Ben Schwartz. With LoCicero, the Someone Great actress approached dating differently, redefining her love life in a romance approaching a decade. Choosing to put herself first in the relationship, Rodriguez described dating LoCicero as a new experience.
“For so long, I put every man in front of me,” she told Cosmopolitan in January 2019. “As a successful woman, it is so hard because of our cultural norms that, like, the man has to be the breadwinner! And the man has to be the more powerful one. It was so difficult for me to find a man who didn’t want me to dim my light for his ego,” explained the actress. Joe LoCicero has gained more visibility through the relationship as his Hollywood career advances. Here’s everything to know about his career and personal life.
Joe LoCicero Is An Actor And Former Model From Long Island, New York
Gina Rodriguez’s husband was born and raised in Long Island, New York. He was born on August 9, 1986, which means he’s two years younger than his famous wife born on July 30, 1984. Joe LoCicero began his career as a model before pursuing acting. He headlined campaigns for popular brands like Juicy Couture and Tommy Hilfiger, through which he gained exposure to break into the acting world. The Long Island native made his acting debut in Jeff Compton’s 2013 short action drama Hector: Lost Souls with Switchblades.
Joe LoCicero performed in various small and big screen projects in the following years, leading up to his breakthrough in 2019. He joined the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful that year as Vincent Walker. His popularity soared with the role, earning him two consecutive nominations for Soap Hub’s Favorite The Bold And The Beautiful Actor in 2020 and 2021. LoCicero also appeared in two films starring his wife that year — Someone Great and Miss Bala.
Gina Rodriguez’s Husband Is A Mixed Martial Artist
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Outside of his Hollywood career, Joe LoCicero is passionate about combat sports, especially Muay Thai. He trained at Los Angeles’ PKG and CMMA Fitness in the mid-2010s. His MMA background equipped him with valuable skills for his Hollywood career. LoCicero played a mixed martial artist in three 2014 episodes of Byron Balasco’s sports drama Kingdom. Two years later, he worked as a fight choreographer in Mark Potts’ Spaghettiman.
Joe LoCicero won the WCK Middleweight California Amateur Muay Thai Championship in June 2018. He celebrated the occasion in an Instagram post that divulged he’s been practicing martial arts since his teenage years. “I didn’t want to turn 30 without a Muay Thai belt,” he wrote. “Ryan Rahimpour gave me 5 of the most fun, creative, and toughest rounds of my 20 years of Martial Arts…” added the actor. LoCicero is still devoted to the sports as a fighter and commentator. He made his commentary debut in December 2023 alongside JD Garson at the WCK Muay Thai’s Guts & Glory event.
Joe LoCicero Met His Wife On The Set Of ‘Jane the Virgin’
Joe LoCicero and Gina Rodriguez crossed paths in early 2016 while working on The CW’s Jane the Virgin, starring Rodriguez as the lead character Jane Villanueva. LoCicero joined the romantic comedy-drama in its second season to play a stripper. However, they didn’t pursue a romance until six months later, when they met again at a boxing gym. They began dating in late 2016, publicly showing and proclaiming their love.
The pair vacationed in Thailand that December with Rodriguez celebrating their first Christmas together online. “Our first Christmas together and your love has been the greatest gift,” she declared on Instagram. The couple began the following year with their first red carpet appearance at the SAG Awards. Their relationship flourished, culminating in an engagement. This was in July 2018, nearly two years after they began dating.
The Vinny Walker Actor Wedded Gina Rodriguez In May 2019
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Announcing their engagement, Gina Rodriguez described Joe LoCicero as a very special man. “I’m marrying a feminist. I’m marrying a man that is incredible and loving and understanding and kind and patient. I’m marrying a really incredible human being (sic),” she told US Weekly. The couple exchanged vows outdoors on May 4, 2019. Rodriguez shared a video of the ceremony online with a caption that in part, reads: “May 4th, 2019 was absolute MAGIC. To my husband Joseph, I am yours forever.”
Now married for over half a decade, their union has been void of scandal and continues to thrive. They welcomed their son Charlie Ray in March 2023. On Father’s Day that June, Rodriguez celebrated her husband on Instagram, proclaiming him a great husband and father. “I knew when I met you that I found a man like no other,” she wrote, “I knew a great man would make a great dad. I don’t know much but I know Charlie and I are two of the luckiest people in the world to have you.” Check out Loni Willison’s emotional journey from stardom to struggles.
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