Ricky Martin was nothing short of a Latin pop powerhouse as well as one of the biggest heartthrobs to ever come out of the 90s. His hits like "Livin' la Vida Loca" and "She Bangs" took him to the top of the charts internationally, and he quickly became a household name.
Then in 2010, to quite a few of his lady fans' dismay, he came out as gay. He has since been living with his husband Jwan Yosef and their 4 children, but his long-term ex-girlfriend says that she knew about his sexuality even while they were dating.
Ricky Martin's Relationship With Rebecca De Alba Was Perfect In The Beginning
Rebecca De Alba, a Mexican model, has opened up about her relationship with the Puerto Rican singer. In an interview with AllVipp.com, she told about the beginning of his courtship and the development of their love.
She's quoted saying, "It was such a beautiful thing. We were close friends and from there we fell in love, period. He gave himself up. We were always together... Ricky was zero insecure. It's… I don't know how to explain it… when you just understand yourself very well in everything, you don't have to make any effort to be happy with your partner. You do not have to be questioning things, or checking him, watching what he does, and more so being him the person he is."
Although, despite their love for one another, she says that when the pop star came out as gay, it was no surprise.
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As the interview continued, she explained further about her suspicions and whether or not his sexuality mattered very much to her.
She's quoted saying, "I already knew it. And sometimes I think, what does it matter if I knew or didn't know? What does it matter if you happen to fall head over heels in love with a person who has another sexual preference, but is faithful and respects you? What does it matter if a person is gay, if what is worthwhile is what they are made of, what do they give you, what does it matter, the value of their life?"
Related: Ricky Martin Got His First-Ever TV Role In The Most Classic Way
Ricky Martin Expresses Gratitude For His Past Relationship
Ricky Martin was well aware that she knew about his hidden sexuality. In an interview with Vulture, he expressed his love and compassion for Rebecca de Alba, whom he didn't name, and compared their relationship to the likes of surreal artist Salvador Dalí and his wife Gala. Dalí, who was known to not be sexually attracted to women, had a deep love for Gala and would oftentimes use her as his muse in his artwork.
Ricky Martin was quoted saying, "I had my girlfriend, who was a woman that I dated on and off for nine years, and she’s like the Gala for Dalí. Dalí had Gala. And I had this woman who was amazing. Unfortunately, we don’t talk anymore, but she was amazing, and she was powerful, and she knew about me. She knew I was gay, but we were together... She knew and we were together. It was one of those things, but we broke up around ’97, ’98, and then I just worked."
Related: Barbara Walters Dragged After Ricky Martin Blasts Her For 'Pushing Him To Come Out''
Starring in the TV series American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace, in which he plays the late Versace's lover Antonio D’Amico, he expresses the significance of portraying successful same-sex couples on television, especially during a period of time when homosexuality was still widely frowned upon.
He was quoted by Canoe.com saying, “It’s important that we shed some light on power couples like this, even though he was quiet and behind the scenes, and he was just there supporting his man for 15 years. I also believe there was a level of homophobia going around in his family where he was hiding, even though he says, ‘My relationship was very open and free with Gianni.’ So I used that as well in front of the camera, and for that, I will always be very thankful.”
Next:Ricky Martin Vehemently Denies Improper Relations With Nephew As He Faces 50 Years In Prison
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