Benjamin Bratt will not only delight the audience with his performance on the screen mother of the bride, but also with his remarkably fit physique.
Speaking with ET’s Deidre Behar during the Netflix film’s premiere at the Bay Theater in Pacific Palisades, Calif., the 60-year-old actor revealed the key to his age-defying looks, which are on full display in the film.
“Well, I always start with the love of a good woman. I’ve been very, very lucky,” noted Bratt, who has been married to Talisa Soto since 2002, when asked about his secret to staying in shape.
But it’s not just love that keeps him young. “That’s because I’m happy and fulfilled in all the ways that matter,” he shared. “Beyond that, it’s the boring things. It is the generations of today where we are unaware of how to eat well and actually find joy in life. Like making the decision to be happy instead of living in misery, which, as you know, happens a lot too.”
Bratt and Soto, a former binding Girl, married in 2002 and has two children, Sophia and Mateo.
The actor’s commitment to his health and happiness goes beyond just physical fitness. As Bratt reflected on his new film, he found a personal resonance in the plot. In Mother of the bride, Lana’s (Brooke Shields) daughter Emma (Miranda Cosgrove) returns from London and announces that she is getting married next month. Things get even more complicated when Lana learns that the man who stole Emma’s heart is the son of the man (Bratt) who broke her years ago.
“I’m losing my son to college next fall, and the emotions explored in this film are very clear to me here tonight,” he shared. “And I know Brooke [Shields] also because she has a daughter [Grier] that will also start soon.
When Bratt spoke to his wife about the looming empty nest syndrome, he revealed: “We cried about it together. It’s truly a testament to the love we have.”
He emphasized the importance of family and their enduring love, a central theme at the heart of Mother of the bride.
Bratt couldn’t help but express his admiration for working with Shields in the film. “I mean, first of all, it’s Brooke Shields, and she really is one of the most gorgeous women in the world and has been for over 40 years,” he praised the 58-year-old actress. “Yet she is one of the most reserved and self-deprecating people you would ever want to meet.”
And as Mother’s Day approaches, Bratt shared his family’s tradition, telling ET, “We always start with mom sleeping in, me orchestrating in the kitchen. There are always homemade pancakes, chicken apple sausage and two cups of coffee. A little flower in a vase on a tray, and she can enjoy the whole morning for as long as she wants.
Mother of the bride arrives on Netflix on Thursday, May 9th.
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