The Untold Truth Of Bruno Mars' Girlfriend
Bruno Mars, as his loyal listeners know, is famous for pouring his heart out in sweet love songs like "Nothin' On You," "Just The Way You Are," and "Grenade," among many others. What Mars' fans may be surprised to learn, however, is that the charming pop star has an equally-gorgeous girlfriend, Jessica Caban, who has been by his side since 2010, per Rolling Stone. While the "24K Magic" man is notoriously private about his love life, it certainly doesn't mean Caban isn't a total catch.
Born in New York City's Spanish Harlem on June 13, 1982, and raised in the Bronx by her parents of Puerto Rican descent, Caban got her start as a model and actress before expanding into fashion and entrepreneurship. Though they may be camera-shy, the fashionista and her crooning beau seem like a total match. Read on to learn more about Caban's rise to fame, her current projects, and how she and Mars came to become a couple.
She's been there for Bruno Mars since the beginning
Bruno Mars isn't the kind of celebrity to give the press, or his fans, access to his private life, choosing instead to keep his career focused on his music. In 2016, Rolling Stone obtained a more personal interview from Mars, revealing that the "Finesse" crooner began dating Jessica Caban in 2010 and that they live together in a mansion worth "a reported $6.5 million," with a Rottweiler named Geronimo. That means that Mars and Caban's relationship dates back to the very beginning of his career, considering his debut album, Doo-Wops and Hooligans, also dropped in 2010. It all sounds pretty idyllic, huh?
Concerning his relationship with Caban, Mars demurred when asked by Rolling Stone if he was going to propose to the model. "She's my best friend. My rock. What's wrong with that? We're just happy," he said, before joking, "Until she reads this." Uh-oh, the doghouse isn't big enough for you and Geronimo, Bruno!
A little help courtesy of Jenny from the block
Before linking up with Mars, Jessica Caban's first introduction to the spotlight came through modeling. Her initial breakthrough in the industry, fittingly, came from another celebrity of Puerto Rican descent who also grew up in the Bronx: Jennifer Lopez.
In 2002, Lopez was at the peak of her aughts fame, engaged to Ben Affleck, and releasing hit singles. Lopez held a nationwide search in spring 2002 to select an up-and-coming model to be the face of her J.Lo clothing line and selected Caban, then a first-year student from Orlando, Fla., as the contest's runner-up. Even though Caban didn't win, she gushed about her brush with fame in an interview with Daily News. "She was so much fun," Caban said about Lopez. "She helped us get our nails done, our hair done, and pick out our clothes. We sang and listened to music with her for hours."
Years later, Caban would credit Lopez for helping her launch her career, telling Complex in 2009 that she was first discovered in the modeling industry thanks to Jenny from the block. "My 1st job modeling was for JLo," Caban tweeted in 2012, with a throwback photo of a magazine article about the contest. "Couldn't think of a better way to start my career. Thanks Jennifer!"
Jessica Caban found early success on TV
In 2008, Jessica Caban scored another modeling opportunity, this time with the reality competition show Model Latina, which was broadcast on the cable network, NuvoTV. At her audition, Caban told the judges that she had been standing in line with her parents since "5:30 in the morning" for the chance to appear on the show. Adding that she dreamed of going into business, the budding starlet hoped to one day be able to provide funding to filmmakers of Latin descent.
With her inspirational personality on display from day one, Caban persevered through the show's on-camera modeling challenges and was eventually crowned the winner, winning a contract with Q Management – the agency that still represents her, as of this writing. Other prizes included a cash reward and a feature in Latina magazine. "My favorite photo shoot would have to be the feature Latina magazine did on me after winning Model Latina," Caban said in a 2012 interview with Blended Entertainment, musing, "Now I'm working on getting a cover someday."
Caban's cover girl dreams would come true in 2012 when she appeared on the cover of Fuzion magazine with a vintage-inspired shoot. "Check me out on the cover of @FuZionMag 1940's inspired photo shoot. Was fun," the model tweeted.
Jessica Caban had award-winning film aspirations
Considering that Jessica Caban revealed that Rita Moreno in West Side Story was her role model, it's no surprise that she had aspirations to appear in dramatic roles. In 2010, the budding actress starred in the indie drama Are You For Great Sex? and received a positive reception at independent film festivals around the country. Caban won two best actress awards for her role, both at the Boston International Film Festival and the Hoboken International Film Festival.
As the starlet revealed in a 2010 interview about the film, she was cast after the movie's director, Cynthia Hsiung, spotted her in an airport. "She just came up to me and said, 'Please tell me you're an actress,'" Caban recalled, later adding, "The fact that she saw something in me made me feel like ... this is what I'm meant to do." As it turns out, Hsiung was inspired enough by the celeb's looks and personality to send her the script.
In that same interview, Caban also hinted that she had a special someone in her own love life, though she declined to name-drop Bruno Mars. "I think I found my soulmate, I'm not sure," she mused. "Because you just never know ... For me, my soulmate is someone who connects with me in the inside. The outside doesn't matter."
Jane the Virgin became Jessica Caban's on-screen home
Jessica Caban found on-screen success on The CW satirical telenovela Jane the Virgin, which won accolades for its on-screen diversity and majority-Latino cast. Caban joined the cast in the show's third season, appearing in several episodes between 2016 and 2018, with her co-star Andrea Navedo first breaking the news that Caban would be joining the troupe in an Instagram post. Caban's Sonia character most often appeared on-screen in the cheery blue uniform of the show's Marbella Hotel, where she worked alongside the show's titular character, Jane.
"#Thankful," Caban wrote in a 2016 tweet, posing in front of her trailer on the Jane the Virgin set, before acknowledging The CW and executive producer Jennie Urman for the opportunity. "You guys like the new uniforms at the Marbella?" she wrote in another cheery on-set dispatch from 2017, showing off a flattering angle of her costume.
Another fun fact? Bruno Mars also appeared on the show several months before Caban's debut, playing himself during the season 2 finale and serenading Jane at her wedding with his song "Rest Of My Life."
Jessica Caban is a swimwear entrepreneur
Jessica Caban pledged to become a businesswoman in her very first 2008 Model Latina audition, and less than a decade later, she brought her dream to life. According to her Twitter announcement, Caban launched her J. Marie Swimwear line in 2016, incorporating her middle name Marie into her business. Speaking with Latina magazine, Caban revealed that her goal as a bathing suit designer was to "make every girl [and] woman feel like Maria from West Side Story, which is [her] absolute favorite movie and inspiration."
If that's not all, Caban is also aware of wanting to bring her heritage to the swimsuit label, too. "Being a Latina, I find myself liking things extra spicy, so I include that mentality in my swimwear," the model dished to Latina, later breaking down the inspirations behind her line's bikini tops and bottoms on Latina's Snapchat account, revealing that all her designs boasted names inspired by West Side Story.
Although some of the styles are definitely revealing, Caban wants her fans to know that her pieces are inclusive for everyone, adding that the line "accentuates the good parts and hides all the tostones you just ate." Jessica Caban, you're a true hero.
Don't expect Jessica Caban to spill the tea about Bruno Mars
While Jessica Caban has frequently spoken to the press and her fans about her career and entrepreneurial projects, she's definitely been more tight-lipped when asked about her relationship with Bruno Mars, particularly in the early days of their relationship.
In 2011, during a breakout year for Mars' career that saw him climbing the Billboard charts and winning his first Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song "Just the Way You Are," Caban was asked in an interview about her relationship status with Mars. Speaking to Shay Star Caban played coy and declined to confirm that she was seeing Mars, dishing that she tries to stay away from the rumor mill — with good reason, too. "[After] winning Model Latina, I had a blog come out saying that the guy I was dating at the time ... paid for me to win," she said, adding, "That was really hurtful."
Thankfully for fans of both Mars and Caban, the starlet did offer up a glowing review of her beau. "He's an amazing singer, a great person, [and] really funny," she said about Mars, "and I'll leave it at that."
Jessica Caban has teamed up with Bruno Mars on camera
Bruno Mars and Jessica Caban may have started dating in 2010, but their entertaining on-screen debut together didn't come until a few years later. By 2012, Mars had quickly become a major name in pop music, and shortly before the December release of his hit album Unorthodox Jukebox, he teamed up with the online comedy-video skit group, Funny or Die, for a satirical video short.
Set to the Salt-N-Pepa song "Whatta Man," the video played up Mars' good-guy reputation, showing him protecting a beautiful woman in a plunging gown from a hotel-room burglary. Interestingly enough, the woman was played by his real-life better half! If that's not all, later in the video, the Honolulu-born celeb is shown running out of a burning building carrying a pregnant woman — also played by Caban.
While the Funny or Die sketch is still the only video in which Caban plays Mars' vixen, she's also come to her man's aid behind the camera. If you look closely at Mars' 2016 "24K Magic" music video, you'll see that the partying women in the background of the video are sporting designs from Caban's J. Marie swimwear line. A Hollywood couple that synergizes together, stays together, right?
Instagram official in 2014
Is it even an A-list relationship if it hasn't been posted on social media? Don't ask Bruno Mars, who has yet to share a photo of Jessica Caban to his official Instagram account. It beats us why, as his model missus is definitely easy on the eyes, but thankfully for fans of the duo, Caban took the lead in sharing the couple's first official social media post. A 2012 tweet sees the two radiant young stars posing together in a selfie (above). Adorable, no?
As for making it official on the biggest social media juggernaut of them all, it turns out, it took a few more years for the couple to step out together on Instagram. Appearing for the first time together on Caban's account in 2014, the starlet shared an adorably blurry photo of the pair wearing tropical garb and smiling for the camera, captioning the shot, "Always making each other laugh."
Another one of the couple's throwback photos include a bowling date in 2013, showing the model and the "Just the Way You Are" crooner dressed-down in t-shirts and jeans. "We had so much fun bowling last night, exhausted & sweaty but our team won!" Caban wrote on Twitter.
Drippin' in finesse at the Grammys
The one public event that Bruno Mars and Jessica Caban frequently attend together is the Grammy Awards, with Mars winning a total of 11 trophies over the years out of 27 total nominations. Mars has taken his lady as his date to several Grammy ceremonies, periodically thanking her in his acceptance speeches. "Jessica, I love you," he said onstage in 2014, accepting the Best Pop Vocal Album award for his Unorthodox Jukebox album. Aww!
While Mars didn't have time to shout out Caban during his 2016 Record of the Year Grammys speech, in which he accepted a trophy for "Uptown Funk," he made it up to her in 2018, when he won the Record of the Year award again, this time for "24K Magic." Getting up on stage, Mars gushed, "My lady, Jessica, I love you, baby," before adding, "Thank you for being my rock and being on my side throughout this whole process."
Bruno Mars and Jessica Caban enjoy dreamy holidays
Considering he's an A-list pop star, Bruno Mars' schedule is often packed, with the singer embarking on several world tours over the past decade in-between his busy album cycles. But, as Caban's Instagram shows, the couple enjoys their own fair share of beautiful getaways together, snapping photos of the duo traveling to exotic locales. "Come hell or high water," the model wrote in September 2019, sharing a shot of her and Mars sitting side by side over an open body of water.
The couple's previous vacation photo came a year prior, in December 2018, showing the pair smiling and wearing leis together in Hawaii. According to the caption, Mars and Caban were celebrating the honors of Mars' Hooligans bandmate and drummer, Eric Hernandez, naming the happy couple godparents to one of his children. "2018 HIGHLIGHT," Caban captioned the loving photo of her and Mars together, adding, "Officially becoming godparents together."
Although these two are notoriously private, we're hoping they start sharing more of their adorable relationship with the public, as their dynamic is total relationship goals.