‘Superstore’ actor Nico Santos surprised with an onstage proposal from his boyfriend at GLAAD Awards
By Bryan Ke
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Santos, 42, and Smith, 34, went onstage to promote the 33rd GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on April 2 when the two-time “Survivor” contestant asked the “Crazy Rich Asians” star to marry him in the middle of their speech.
“Speaking of love stories,” Smith segued. “Ours began four years ago here in our favorite restaurant, The Beverly Hills ballroom… Nico, your love has taught me how to love. You are my other half, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Smith got down on one knee and took a ring from his pocket. Santos said yes, and the audience gave them a standing ovation.
The couple then took to social media to announce their engagement. Smith wrote on Twitter that he was the “luckiest guy in the world” and thanked the awards show for making the proposal “magical.” Meanwhile, Santos shared on Instagram that he said yes, adding, “You have my heart forever @zekerchief.”
Santos and Smith met at the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards, two months before confirming their relationship on Twitter.
“I fell in love,” Smith told Entertainment Weekly in March 2021. “About three years ago at the GLAAD Awards, I met my boyfriend, actor Nico Santos. We just bought a house and are mired in the domestic bliss of choosing paint colors, figuring out where exactly that draft is coming from, and replacing appliances that were just fine during the inspections!”
Smith, who is transgender, competed in the back-to-back seasons of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X” and “Survivor: Game Changers” in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Santos is known for starring as sales associate Mateo Liwanag in six seasons of NBC workplace sitcom “Superstore” and as Oliver T’sien in 2018 rom-com film “Crazy Rich Asians,” adapted from Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel of the same name.
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