“I want to normalize relationships like this. It’s good for the world; it’s good for me as a gay man with kids. It’s important that we shed some light on power couples like [Gianni Versace and Antonio D’Amico], even though [D’Amico] 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’…
The level of commitment after 15 years. The level of security between them and trust between them is so solid. We want to normalize another kind of reality for open relationships. And that’s what we’re doing. There’s absolutely nothing wrong. We’re just two very self-secure men that are completely in love with each other, that trust each other to the maximum level, and here we are.”— Ricky Martin to Vulture, discussing the impact he hopes his role in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace will have.
Kangol
This is a little confusing. He’s talking about his role as Gianni Versace, in an open relationship, and not his personal relationship, right? Or does he mean both? Either way, it was Gianni Versace’s and his partner’s business, and Ricky Martin’s and his husband’s business, not mine, but the quote, or the way it’s framed, could be a bit clearer.
IanHunter
I wondered the same. This is a quote about his character, right?
ryantbo
does that mean Ricky’s own relationship is open?
DCguy
Except the relationship wasn’t “Secure”. His character stated, he did this because it was what Gianni wanted and the family tried to attack the money Versace left him in the will.
Donston
My whole thing is I don’t really care whether somone’s relationship is “open” or not. That’s not my business. And I don’t think Martin would just put that type of info out there about himself, especially with two young children. The quote is very confusing, so much so that it’s impossible to tell exactly what relationship he’s talking about and whether he’s talking about “open” relationships or simply same-sex couples who are not hiding their relationship and commitment. It seems like he’s speaking on the latter.
As far as the show’s relationship, based off of what is presented to us (I’ve only seen the first three episodes) they don’t seem very secure or happy. And Gianni comes off like a controlling megalomaniac.
Paco
“I want to normalize relationships like this. It’s good for the world; it’s good for me as a gay man with kids.“
No. The children need to be your focus more than who you are going to hook up with next on Grindr. I grew up with divorced parents that cared more about their “social” lives than their children. It was always awkward meeting new special strangers all the time.
Donston
Bringing up his children in such a scenario would frankly be irresponsible. But now that I’ve read the quote a few times it really does seem as if he’s merely talking about same-sex committed couples being “open” to the world, not hiding their relationship from the public and from family and friends and not feeling shame.
His attempt to be “insightful” and the fact that English is his second language got the better of him. Also, Queerty loves to misinterpret and sensationalize for a click.
Paco
Even the original interview doesn’t make much sense. I can’t follow when Ricky is talking about himself or the role he is playing. It is all over the place.
frankcar1965
You are extrapolating your bad experience with other situations, and that is not a good thing. Just because you parents were shit heads does not mean others would be too.
mike 111
This is cute coming from the person who was so careful to wait to come out of the closet until well after his music career was over ?
She bangs!
Donston
That’s a lil’ unfair. It was also a bit of different time. And it’s not like he copped beards, flat-out denied it for years and/or exuded internalized homophobia. He also didn’t wait til he was 50. Now he’s married with kids and living his life with no shame or public manipuation and is respectable “representation” (despite fumbling on his words in this interview and giving the wrong impression).
ryantbo
Oh Ricky had quite a few beards back in the day
ryantbo
Back in the ’90s, he was a fan of the ladies (at least publically), and dated a woman named Gabriela Sabatini in 1992. Two years later, he was spotted with Lilly Melgar, another beautiful brunette. He was linked to Adriana Biega from 1998-1999, and they looked like they would last…but not so much.
In 2000 he was cozying up with a gal named Maital Saban, and the same year he courted Ines Misan. Their relationship lasted about 2 years, by our estimations.
Donston
Yeah, in his late 10’s and early 20’s. Are we really going to torch someone for what they did in their teens and twenties and who grew up as a “child star”? If he was parading around with women, denying it or exuding internalized homophobia well into his 30’s that would be another discussion.
While I would love for celebs and semi celebs to not indulge public manipulation, to not contend with “confusion”, to not exude self-hate or self-loathing or internalized homophobia, etc. this is stuff that many people deal with. They shouldn’t be held to a different standard because they’re in the spotlight. However, I can’t help but somewhat resent individuals who spend decades living in glass closets and whose entire personal lives is merely for show and convenience, especially to do that in this age and time.
ryantbo
Donston, I was referring to your remarks that well at least he didnt deny it or hang out with beards. He did both
Donston
I understand what you were doing. I was just pointing out that someone being closeted or someone copping beards in their late teens and early twenties hardly counts for anything, especially when you consider the extent some still go through to manipulate their public image.
Danny595
If you click on the link, you can read the whole interview. He is clearly talking about the on-screen relationship, not his own. However, he does defend his character and Versace and the kind of relationship that those 2 men had. It’s actually pretty funny because he keeps saying “Nothing wrong with that” over and over. It only underscores that there is very much something wrong. Even he admits how uncomfortable he was doing those scenes.
Sam6969
It is indeed better to read the whole original interview, particularly because the title of the Queerty article is ambiguous. We must be aware though that the original interview was: “edited and condensed”, as it reads at the end. So, maybe some clarifying bits were lost in the editing.
What is clear enough though is that Ricky Martin is someone very emotional and empathetic. He says about his role in the series: “[…]I brought all my emotions back home with me”.
It seems he also brought his emotions in this interview and sometimes, it feels like he fuses with his role as Antonio D’Amico, embrassing the nature of their relationship: “My relationship was very open and free with Gianni”, said the real Antonio.
His emotions flow also because the role revives personal autobiographical elements, such as his coming out and the memories of the people in his own life, who were like Antonio hidden for so long. So, he can live through Antonio both sides of the coin (Gianni and Antonio, in a way, reverse mirrored his coming out story).
It is true he defends their open relationship, but reading between the lines, it seems not something for him. He is very open to people with open relationships, and he is such a warm person.
Aires the Ram
I think we often forget that the majority of men, straight or gay, separate sex and love in their minds. This is why I never understand why so many gay men (et. al.) clutch their purses and run when the subject of ‘open’ relationships comes up. Most of us who are coupled, especially those who are so for a long period of time, understand what a beautiful thing commitment to another person can be, how much security it offers, and how wonderful it is to have someone who you trust and rely on. But the fact of the matter is that the male of our species, are for the most part, not hard-wired to be monogamous when it comes to sex. Commitment, love, home & hearth, yes, but sex, not so much. I’ve been with my husband for over 18 years, through the good and the bad, and we love each other now, more than we ever did. But the idea that I, or he, can never never have sex with another guy (except each other), for the rest of our lives, is not something either of us agree with. We opened up our relationship about 2 or 3 years into it, and would never go back. We’ve had fun, we both know how incredible sex between two or three or four consenting adults is. It doesn’t happen very often, mind you, but it’s awesome none-the-less. —-But, I will say this: If you’re in a relationship, especially a newer one, there has to be a big establishment of trust between you two before you should ever consider having an open relationship. It’s not for everybody. If you’re the jealous type, meaning you’re insecure about your partners commitment to you, or honesty with you, don’t open up the relationship, you’re not ready for it, and may never be, at least in THAT relationship.
Sam6969
As you wrote, it depends on people and their own definition of fidelity. After all, men can also not succumb to all their impulses and other basic instincts 😉 (not saying one choice is better is better than the other)
Also, I am sure there are strong, secure, confident, trusting each other (not jealous), who do not have sex outside their relationship 🙂
Sam6969
*couples
“Also, I am sure there are strong, secure, confident couples trusting each other (not jealous), who do not have sex outside their relationship :)”
Kenn
Queerty, does this constantly with these “click bait” captions and then gives a story that is purposely ambiguous. It causes the under-read and ill-informed to run off with false information, half-truths, and speculations. When I first signed up for this, I’d hope that you would prove to be more enlightening and helpful to the community.
paul dorian lord fredine
if you’re so dissatisfied why do you hang around?