MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Mario Lopez's spicy love life: First kiss with Fergie to a two-week wedding and those ‘date rape’ allegations

As the Lifetime movie ‘A Recipe For Seduction’ hits social media, here's a glimpse into his love life and dating history

Craving the “finger lickin' good” KFC menu? Mario Lopez is here with a recipe for seduction... Confused? The 47-year-old hearthhrob — known for his stint in ‘Saved by the Bell’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is all set to play Colonel Sanders in Lifetime's original mini-movie ‘A Recipe For Seduction’.  

“Some folks take their secrets to the grave, but Colonel Sanders takes his to the deep fryer,” a post on KFC's Twitter page reads. According to a press release, the first-of-its kind 15-minute film is “full of mystery, suspense, deception, 'fowl' play and — at the heart of it all — love and fried chicken.”

So, what is the seductive story? “As the holidays near, an heiress contends with the affections of a suitor handpicked by her mother. When the handsome chef arrives with his secret recipe and a dream, he sets in motion a series of events that unravel the mother’s devious plans. Will our plucky heiress escape to her wintry happily ever after with Harland at her side, or will she cave to the demands of family and duty?” the official synopsis of the movie reads.

Mario Lopez: The child prodigy

With Mario Lopez in the lead role, the movie has already fluttered many hearts. Born on October 10, 1973, Lopez was raised in San Diego, California by Elvira, a telephone company clerk, and Mario Sr, who worked for the municipality of National City. In an interview, his mother revealed how he was a child progidy and excelled in all extra-curricular activities she enrolled him in. Apart from arts and dramatics, Lopez was a brilliant dancer since the age of three and also did tumbling, karate and wrestling at his local Boys and Girls Club.

When he was 10, a talent agent at a dance recital discovered him and he soon stepped into the world of glam and glitz. He started his career with his role as Tomás in the short-lived ABC comedy series ‘Pablo’ and gained fame with his stint in the Saturday-morning sitcom ‘Saved by the Bell’ for five years from 1989 to 1993.

If that was not all, he is still loved for his role in ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ as Dr Christian Ramirez and also captivated audiences when he entered the third season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ with his then-girlfriend Karina Smirnoff. Lopez has had quite a fascinating run in television and movies. No wonder, fans couldn't help but be excited by the new annonuncement. As the movie hits social media, here's a glimpse into his love life and dating history.

First kiss and ‘date rape’ allegations

Did you know the handsome hunk first locked lips with singer and songwriter Fergie? “It's a true story. I'm very proud of my first kiss,” Mario told People in an interview. “She says there was no tongue! I wrote her a note and, as she likes to point out, I was very smooth at 10 because I bought her perfume. I think the gesture was pretty good for a kid.”

The two bonded quite well on the '80s show ‘Kids Incorporated’ — the lead-in for the Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel — and allegedly dated each other for a brief time.  

In 1993, a vile set of allegations surfaced where Lopez was accused of “date rape”. However, no proof was found and the case died soon after. A report by LA Time from that time read: “Prosecutors announced that they will not seek charges against television actor Mario Lopez in the alleged rapes of two local women. One woman had accused Lopez, 19, who appears on the NBC-TV daytime high school sitcom ‘Saved by the Bell’ of raping her in April at his home in Chula Vista. After her allegation became public, another woman said Lopez had raped her in 1991. Deputy District Attorney Peter Longanbach said there was no evidence to support either allegation. In the April case, there were witnesses who contradicted the woman’s account of her encounter with the actor, Longanbach said.”
 

Whoa, a two-week marriage!

Lopez has had quite a colorful life and you'll be shocked to hear about his two-week marriage! On April 24, 2004, he exchanged vows with actress Ali Landry in a Catholic ceremony at the exclusive Las Alamandas resort outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A commentator, she first met Lopez while working at the 1998 Miss Teen USA pageant and the two dated each other for six years.

Surprisingly, the two decided to annull the marriage just two weeks later. “He’s cheated on her for several years, and she just found out last week,” a source close to the actress told People at that time. “They never had a honeymoon, and he was out at a club last week without his wife.”

Much later, in 2011, he finally confessed what really happened to Howard Stern on his Sirius XM radio show. “It was my bachelor party,” he began, adding that he “messed around” with another woman. He lied to his then-fiancée about a whirlwind tour. “I figured at that point it was easier to ask for forgiveness [afterward]. It's my bachelor party, we were going to have a good time. And we went, we had a good time,” he said. However, he was caught when a poolside photo was captured. He admitted, “I was wrong for obviously lying, and I shouldn't have been in that position.”

A secret fling and a rock-solid marriage

Lopez then dated his ‘Dancing with the Stars’ partner Karina Smirnoff in 2006 and the on-again, off-again couple was spotted frolicking several times in Miami. However, the two decided to go their separate ways soon after. “Karina has parted ways with her two year relationship with Mario Lopez,” Smirnoff’s spokesperson told People. “The relationship wasn’t heading in the right direction.”

Meanwhile, Lopez said in a statement: “Karina and I have the utmost respect for each other. She is a phenomenal and talented woman. I support her always and feel blessed to have her in my life.”

Lopez finally found love when he met Courtney Mazza on ‘A Chorus Line’ on Broadway in New York in the fall of 2008. The two tied the knot in Punta Mita, Mexico on December 1, 2012 “just before sunset at the seaside estate of Joe Francis” according to People. The report also read: “The lavish affair featured a mariachi band a wedding cake with a winter-wonderland-meets-beach theme by Cake Boss Buddy Valastro.” 

The pair have three children together: son Santino Rafael Lopez, daughters Gia and Nico Lopez. 

Well, all's well that ends well, isn't it? Now, it's time to tune into Mario Lopez's sizzling stint in the Lifetime x KFC collaboration!