Who Is Melissa Barrera's Husband, Paco Zazueta?
If you don't already know the name Melissa Barrera, you may want to get used to hearing it. The up-and-coming star, already well-known in her native Mexico, made her big-screen debut in the cinematic version of Lin Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical "In the Heights." Though the film made a splash with audiences, Barrera's career had already taken off. In 2021, she wrapped a Warner Bros. film, "Carmen," and landed the leading role in a highly anticipated Netflix drama "Breathe," where she plays the lone survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. This isn't her first foray into TV, either. She's spent the last three years co-starring in the Starz drama "Vida," per Deadline.
Barrera is also a brand ambassador for Clinique and got a pretty lengthy writeup in Vogue in June, in which she spoke about it. "Even though I have those memories of my mom and my grandma using the creams and coming back to them, I'm discovering the brand right now," she told the outlet on her new sponsorship.
As for her personal life, well, that's bustling too. Barrera and Xavier (Paco) Zazueta tied the knot two years ago and are still going strong. Read on to find out all about the strange way Zazueta met his future rising-star wife.
Melissa Barrera met her husband in a surprising place
If you've ever watched the "Bachelor," then you know as well as we do that reality TV love rarely works out long-term. That wasn't the case for Melissa Barrera and her husband Paco Zazueta, though!
It all started when Barrera got her first big break as a contestant on a Mexican musical reality show "La Academia," where she only lasted three months before being eliminated, per The Cut. She may not have taken home the grand prize, but she did come home with a husband — and good thing too, because Barrera didn't exactly like working in reality TV. "Reality TV is like a snake pit," she told Variety in 2019. "You think the entertainment industry can be hard, but reality TV? That's the epitome of whether you're ready for this or not. If I could survive that show, it meant I could do anything."
It was under these challenging circumstances that Barrera and Zazueta came together. Barrera told the outlet that Zazueta had her back the whole way through the singing competition. "We would take turns telling each other we had what it takes to stick it out," she told Variety. These days, Barrera has moved on to more high-brow TV, and Zazueta has pursued other passions. On his Instagram account, he describes himself as a "singer" and a "butcher." You can find some of his tracks online, and order meat from the store linked in his bio.
Paco Zazueta has an exciting career
When their time on "La Academia" came to an end, Melissa Barerra began landing acting roles, but her husband, Paco Zazueta, took a totally different direction. Since leaving reality TV, Zazueta has been focusing his energy on his promising music career. Zazueta released his first record eponymously titled "Paco Zazueta" in 2012, which is currently available on Spotify.
Zazueta collaborated with his wife on several of his projects. Barerra appeared as the love interest in his 2012 music video "Hazme Olvidarla" and in 2019's "Melissa." The latter was actually written by Zazueta as a wedding gift for his wife, and of course, he had to perform it at their wedding, per Harper's Bazaar.
If Zazueta's music career has slowed down since his 2012 debut, it isn't from lack of interest. Instead, it is likely because he's been busy working at his family's butcher shop. Carnes Zazueta is located in Obregón and has been run by Zazueta's father for more than 50 years.
Melissa Barrera and Xavier Zazueta don't live together
Melissa Barrera and Xavier Zazueta have chosen very different career paths, and unfortunately, that has proven to make extra challenges in their marriage. Zazueta's work as a butcher means that he needs to be in one location, without a lot of room for travel. Barrera's flourishing acting career, on the other hand, means that she is rarely in one place for long and spends a lot of time in Los Angeles and New York.
As difficult as that might be for their relationship, Barrera and Zazueta have found a way to make it work — something Barrera credits to Zazueta's supportive attitude. "It's hard, and it never gets easier," Barrera said during a sit-down with Courteney Cox for Interview Magazine. "My husband is very supportive, and it helps to have the unconditional love and support of your partner when you live a life like this." Barrera does her part to support Zazueta from afar, too. She never misses a chance to promote his music or creative projects on social media.
While they have no immediate plans to live together, Barrera is hopeful that might change, especially if they have kids. "I'm most of the time freaking out that I'm alone with the dogs," she said. "When something ever happens I'm like, 'What am I going to do with human babies?'"