Gilles Marini (; born 26 January 1976) is a French actor known for his roles in the film ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City (newspaper column), newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the ...
'', and in the American television shows ''
Brothers & Sisters'', ''
Switched at Birth'' and ''
Devious Maids
''Devious Maids'' is an American television comedy-drama and mystery series created by Marc Cherry, produced by ABC Studios, and executive produced by Cherry, Sabrina Wind, Eva Longoria, Paul McGuigan, Larry Shuman, David Lonner, John Mass, Pau ...
''. He was also the runner-up in
season 8
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In tempera ...
of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'', and was one of the returning celebrities in
season 15. He was also a French co-host on the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
show ''
Ultimate Beastmaster
''Ultimate Beastmaster'' is an American sports entertainment reality show competition that premiered on Netflix on February 24, 2017. The show differentiates itself from other obstacle course competition shows by showcasing not only international ...
''.
Early life
Marini was born in
Grasse
Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal oc, Grassa in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional it, Grassa) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence- ...
,
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes (; oc, Aups Maritims; it, Alpi Marittime, "Maritime Alps") is a department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the Italian border and Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, it ...
, France, to a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
mother and
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
father. He worked as a baker in his father's bakery from the age of eight. After completing high school, he joined the French army and was stationed in Paris, where he served as a fireman in the
Paris Fire Brigade
The Paris Fire Brigade (french: Brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris, BSPP) is a French Army unit which serves as the primary fire and rescue service for Paris, the city's inner suburbs and certain sites of national strategic importance.
The ...
. There, Marini met Fred Goudon, a photographer who introduced him to the world of modeling. After fulfilling his military duties in his early twenties, he went to the United States to learn English while working as a model. One of his first jobs was a television commercial for Bud Light beer. He made his acting debut at the age of 29, in the 2005 horror film ''Screech of the Decapitated''.
Career
Marini played Dante in ''
Sex and the City: The Movie'', and has appeared on ''
Brothers & Sisters'', ''
Ugly Betty
''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC. It premiered on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian t ...
'', ''
Dirty Sexy Money
''Dirty Sexy Money'' is an American prime time drama television series created by Craig Wright. It ran on ABC from September 26, 2007, to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by Berlanti Television and ABC Studios. Wright served as an e ...
'', ''
Criminal Minds
''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
'', ''
Nip/Tuck
''Nip/Tuck'' is an American medical drama television series created by Ryan Murphy that aired on FX in the United States from July 22, 2003, to March 3, 2010. The series, which also incorporates elements of crime drama, black comedy, family dra ...
'', ''
The Bold and the Beautiful
''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...
'', ''
Passions
''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
'', and ''
2 Broke Girls
''2 Broke Girls'' (stylized ''2 Broke Girl$'') is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 19, 2011, to April 17, 2017. The series was produced for Warner Bros. Television and created by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cumm ...
''. His film credits include ''One and the Other (L'Une et L'Autre)'' and ''
The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down
''The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down'' is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Paul Sapiano. The film had its world premiere in the Guilty Pleasures section at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 25, 2006. It was released in the Unit ...
''. On February 8, 2009, it was announced that Marini would participate in the
eighth season of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
''. His professional partner was
Cheryl Burke
Cheryl Burke (born May 3, 1984) is an American dancer, model, and television host. She is best known for being a professional dancer on ABC's '' Dancing with the Stars''. She was the first female professional to win the show and the first prof ...
. He also took part in the
fifteenth season of ''Dancing with the Stars'' for another chance to win the mirrorball trophy. He danced with
season fourteen winner,
Peta Murgatroyd
Peta Jane Murgatroyd (born 14 July 1986) is a New Zealand-born Australian and American professional Latin dancer. She performed in the international tour of the dance production ''Burn the Floor'', including its Broadway run. She is best known fo ...
. They were the eighth couple eliminated from the competition, alongside
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley (January 12, 1951 – December 5, 2022) was an American actress. Her breakout role was as Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1987–1993), for which she received an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991. From 1997 ...
and
Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Maksim "Maks" Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy ( uk, Максим Олександрович Чмерковський ; born January 17, 1980) is a Ukrainian-American Latin–ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He is widely known ...
, on November 13, 2012.
In 2009, Marini was introduced as a recurring character on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's family drama ''
Brothers & Sisters''. He played Luc Laurent, the French love interest of
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths (born in 1968) is an Australian actress. Raised primarily in Melbourne, she began her acting career appearing on the Australian series ''Secrets'' before being cast in a supporting role in the comedy ''Muriel's Wedding'' ...
' character
Sarah Walker, in what was slated to be a five-episode arc, but was promoted to series regular in 2010. ''
Brothers & Sisters'' was cancelled by ABC in May 2011, after the fifth season ended. He also appeared as Bay Kennish's biological father, Angelo Sorrento, in ''
Switched at Birth''. On September 18, 2012,
it was announced that he would become a series regular for the second season.
''Dancing with the Stars'' performances
Marini and his professional partner,
Cheryl Burke
Cheryl Burke (born May 3, 1984) is an American dancer, model, and television host. She is best known for being a professional dancer on ABC's '' Dancing with the Stars''. She was the first female professional to win the show and the first prof ...
, came in as the runners-up of the eighth season of the American televised
ballroom dancing
Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
...
competition ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
''. On May 19, 2009, then seventeen-year-old gymnast
Shawn Johnson
Shawn Johnson East (born Shawn Machel Johnson; January 19, 1992) is an American former artistic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist and team, all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. Johnson is also the 2007 al ...
and her partner,
Mark Ballas
Mark Alexander Ballas Jr. (born May 24, 1986) is an American dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, musician, and actor.
Ballas is a professional ballroom dancer on the ABC program ''Dancing with the Stars''. He began competing on the show ...
, were crowned champions of that season, defeating Marini & Burke by 1%.
He returned alongside professional partner
Peta Murgatroyd
Peta Jane Murgatroyd (born 14 July 1986) is a New Zealand-born Australian and American professional Latin dancer. She performed in the international tour of the dance production ''Burn the Floor'', including its Broadway run. She is best known fo ...
for the fifteenth season of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
''; the pair finished in sixth place.
Season 8: with professional dance partner Cheryl Burke
Season average: 28.1
Season 15: with professional dance partner Peta Murgatroyd
* Additional score from guest judge: singer, dancer and choreographer
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...
.
* For that week's salsa trio challenge, Marini & Murgatroyd chose
Chelsie Hightower
Chelsie Kay Hightower (born July 21, 1989) is a ballroom dancer. She is known for being a regular dance partner, trainer and choreographer on the ABC competition show '' Dancing with the Stars'', on which she was a professional from Season 8 t ...
to dance alongside them.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marini, Gilles
1976 births
21st-century French male actors
French Army personnel
French emigrants to the United States
French expatriate male actors in the United States
French male film actors
French male television actors
French male models
French people of Greek descent
French people of Italian descent
Hollywood United players
Living people
People from Grasse
Association footballers not categorized by position
Association football players not categorized by nationality