Mark Consuelos was almost passed over for his life-changing role as Mateo Santos All My Children.
The soap’s casting director, Judy Blye Wilson, talked about the challenges she faced while landing the role of Consuelos during a Jan. 14 performance at 92NY in New York City.
“I don’t know why they delayed it, but they actually cast him, so he started playing the part and I had to keep looking for another person. So we tested Mark several times,” Wilson told the audience at the event Susan Lucci in conversation with Andy Cohen: All my children at 55. “I finally begged the producer and she relented, and it turned out to be the best, one of the best roles I’ve ever done.”
The role introduced Consuelos, 53, to his future wife Kelly Ripa, while he played her character Hayley Vaughan’s lover for almost a decade. However, after 1995 All My Children at the audition, Wilson said she had to convince the executives that Consuelos was perfect for the role.
Susan Lucci recalls watching Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos All My Children Scenes from the audition: ‘We all said ‘Get a room!’ ‘
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos as Hayley and Mateo in ‘All My Children’ in 1995.
Ann Limongello/Disney General Entertainment via Getty
With Wilson pushing for the casting of Consuelos, it wasn’t hard to convince Ripa, 54. Ripa also attended Tuesday’s casting All My Children at 55 conversation.
“They couldn’t make a decision about Mark, and I was behind him,” Wilson said, “and I brought Kelly into my office, I showed her a black and white picture of him and his head, and she really i liked him really.”
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Ripa recalled the moment in a 2019 interview with Bruce Bozzi on his SiriusXM radio show. She said she knew Consuelos was “the one” when she first saw his picture.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ All My Children Throwback photos
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Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos at the 2024 TIME100 Gala held at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty
“They’ve been looking for this character for a while. They’ve been looking for a really Latino actor,” Ripa said. “And so I auditioned for all the Latino actors in town and around, and then in California. And then all of a sudden, Judy Blye Wilson, who was the casting director All My Childrenhe said, ‘I found him.'”
After meeting on set in 1995, Consuelos and Ripa eloped in 1996. After dating All My Children In 2002, they had their own children: Michael, Joaquin and Lola.
Consuelos and Ripa continue to work together as hosts Live! with Kelly and Marksince Consuelos replaced Ryan Seacrest in 2023. That year, Consuelos also earned the honor of PEOPLE’s Sexiest Morning Show Host.
“It’s just a married couple working together and working their stuff out on live TV,” Ripa told PEOPLE on the hit talk show in April 2023. “Mark always says that’s where he saves his complaints for the live audience, because it feels safe .”
The couple also enjoys the hours their talk show schedule offers.
“Once you work together on a soap opera or a sitcom, you realize that hours of live TV are a dream compared to others,” Ripa added.
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Source: HIS Education