Brittany and Marcelino were fan favorites from Season 2 of Love After Lockup. They were the one couple who appeared stable and while they did have some ups and downs, their genuine concern for one another had viewers rooting for them.
It was announced that Brittany and Marcelino would be joining Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup several weeks ago. Ahead of Friday’s series premiere, they agreed to talk with Monsters and Critics about their lives and Life After Lockup.
Monsters & Critics: What made you guys decide to continue your story on Life After Lockup?
Marcelino: For me personally, I felt like we left Love After Lockup on a cliffhanger as far as how our life has continued because so much has changed and improved since Love After Lockup ended.
Brittany: For me, my reason for being on the show, wanting to do the show, and actually continuing our story has always been the same and consistent for me. It’s just the things I have been through in life, my struggles and I have overcome all of that and want to put my story out there to help people.
Monsters & Critics: What was your favorite moment from your story on Season 2? Which sticks out the most?
Brittany: My wedding.
Marcelino: Wedding. Definitely the wedding.
Monsters & Critics: How has being on television affected your relationship with one another? Has the chaos of filming added stress, brought you guys closer together, or maybe both?
Brittany: For me, I feel like it brought us closer. There was a time when Marcelino wasn’t getting too much love on social media and I supported him through that. There are some other times where people have some really funny things to say and we definitely share some laughs about it.
Marcelino: Being on television definitely put our relationship on the fast track. We are married with a child and now a house. We progressed very rapidly and it has been humbling also because all of this happened.
Everything was filmed including the push and pull of being on television and the stresses of being on television. They come out and filmed three, four, five, six, eight, nine days in a row. You have to go through all these things and scenarios. We have to be real and transparent. We are definitely one of the most real couples on television, that’s for sure.
Monsters & Critics: Do you guys still keep in touch with Amanda and Sascha? Will they be part of your story going forward?
Brittany: They are, yes. They are. I am actually in contact with both of them.
Monsters & Critics: What is the biggest misconception viewers have about you as individuals and as a couple?
Marcelino: I got the controlling label from the beginning, which is very far from true. The only reason me and Brittany work, and I tell people all the time, is because I came into the relationship already doing me.
And Brittany, what I expected out of her was for her to be her. I don’t need to put restrictions or constraints on her, Brittany is free to do whatever she wants to do. And the reason this works so well is because she reciprocates that same emotion. She knows she is responsible for the relationship just like I am.
Brittany: I think that Marcelino is just very overprotective and that’s where a big misconception is. People think that being overprotective is him being controlling.
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Monsters & Critics: What can viewers expect to see on Life After Lockup from you guys?
Brittany: You have to tune in and watch.
Monsters & Critics: Which other Love After Lockup couple from either season can you guys relate to the most? Have you seen both seasons or did you decide not to watch?
Brittany: I watched both seasons like 10 times. Rerun after rerun. I guess it would be easy to say I can relate to people on the show who have been to prison or have addiction issues or things like that that they suffered from.
But you know, honestly, I chose to deal with those situations a lot differently than most people do. The way that I overcame my addiction and by working hard every day to not become institutionalized.
Marcelino: The closest would probably be Lamar and Andrea but we really don’t know how their relationship has progressed since Season 1.
Monsters & Critics: How hard was it to conceal your pregnancy and the baby off social media once that all went down? Was it super stressful?
Brittany: Well it wasn’t stressful, it was difficult because I’m a proud mother of both my children. I wanted to show her off and wanted to talk about it. So, it wasn’t stressful. We had to crop her out of family photos I was posting. Now that I’m able to share her, I’m flooding her all over the place.
Monsters & Critics: Where do you guys see yourselves in five years? On television? More kids? Would you guys continue to tell your story if the opportunity presented itself?
Brittany: Most definitely. I would love that opportunity.
Marcelino: I would only like to continue on if we have more to share. There is a lot on Life After Lockup, A LOT. Maybe there’s more, maybe there’s not. Right now, I am content with where I’m at.
Monsters & Critics: What is your favorite thing about each other?
Marcelino: I love the way Brittany loves me. It’s not my first time, I’ve been in and out of New York since 98 and for the most part, being by myself and yesterday, I took her on the High Line. I love the way Brittany loves me, that’s the bottom line.
Brittany: I would definitely have to agree with that. I love the way he loves me. There’s no judgment and just the way that he is always putting his family first. Me first, his children first and he’s definitely a good man.
Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup premieres June 14 at 9/8c on WEtv.