Paco Zazueta and Melissa Barrera's Sweet Love Story

Mexican-born actress Melissa Barrera met the love of her life and now-husband, Xavier Paco Zazueta, on the 2011 Mexican talent show, "La Academia." Barrera lamented her experience on the show, remarking that reality TV is a "snake pit" that tests one's commitment to the entertainment industry.

However, the actress was determined to stay once she met Zazueta, and they were each other's biggest cheerleaders while on "La Academia." The show may have dissipated her desire to realize her musical dreams, but it became the place where her love story began.

Melissa Barrera is the first of four siblings, born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, on July 4, 1990. She was a committed performer from her schooling years, participating in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Footloose," "Aida," and "The Wizard of Oz."

Barrera's first professional theatrical role was Julieta in the Mexican production and musical "Romeo y Julieta," which was originally French. She received her big break when she was cast in the 2018 "Vida" series, which got a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where she portrayed an eccentric character named Lyn.

Who Is Paco Zazueta?

Information about when and where he was born eludes public knowledge, but Xavier Paco Zazueta has made a name for himself as a musician. He and his wife, Melissa Barrera, are in the entertainment industry, with Barrera continuing her career in Hollywood, landing roles for which she has been critically acclaimed.

At the same time, Zazueta focused purely on the music scene, sometimes collaborating with his wife. According to Nicki Swift, Zazueta released his first album the year after "La Academia" ended in 2011, titled after himself. The musical project is available for streaming on Spotify.

Among their collaborations is a music video for one of Zazueta's songs, "Hazme Olvidarla." Zazueta wrote a song he titled after his wife's first name the year they married and performed it as a gift on their wedding day. Barrera also appears in the song's music video.

Besides his music career, Zazueta joined his father's family business, Carnes Zazueta, a butcher shop in Obregón that was established over five decades ago. Carnes Zazueta also has official social media pages and a website that includes the shop's contact details and exact location.

Since Zazueta and Barrera chose different paths, their careers' conflicting demands have posed some challenges to their marriage. Zazueta's affiliation with his father's butcher shop requires him to remain in one location, while as an actress, Barrera frequently travels.

Hence, the lovebirds don't stay together. Regardless, Barrera stated that her husband remained supportive of her career. The actress explained that being away from her husband doesn't get any easier, but his unconditional love is enough to keep her going.

She also gushes about his music on her socials as a way to support him and promote his work. The couple hasn't shared any plans for moving in together and currently have no children. Per Nicki Swift, the actress worried about her readiness for motherhood, saying she freaks out when she's alone with the dogs.

Paco Zazueta and Melissa Barrera's Relationship

Xavier Paco Zazueta and Melissa Barrera's love story began in "La Academia" and went strong for several years after the show's end. According to The List, the actress frequently wanted to leave the show as the judges gradually diminished her love for singing.

Despite her efforts to wow the judges, Barrera stated that they used a weird technique that made her believe she was no good at singing. She acknowledged the difficulty of being in the entertainment industry, but reality TV was the epitome of its ails for the actress.

Still, Barrera remained in "La Academia" with Zazueta. She recalled how she and her husband "took turns" encouraging each other to keep pushing because they both believed they "had what it takes" to succeed in the show. The couple dated for eight years before finally securing their union in February 2019.

Per The List, they have the luxury of owning homes in three cities; one in New York, Los Angeles, and another in Mexico. Based on their social media posts, Barrera and Zazueta have two adorable pups.

Melissa Barrera and Paco Zazueta Now

While Melissa Barrera and Xavier Paco Zazueta may not live together, the couple ensures they enjoy quality time. They also share snaps of their trips and getaways on Instagram and often walk the red carpet arm-in-arm.

On February 3, 2019, Zazueta shared a lovely selfie of himself and his wife while in their attire and captioned it "La mujer de mi vida," which translates to "The woman of my life," according to Instagram. A few days later, the singer posted another picture while the couple enjoyed their honeymoon at an undisclosed location.

Zazueta showed off his impressive physique while sporting patterned swimming shorts. He stood on the edge of a pool behind his wife, who posed elegantly while half-submerged in a rusty orange swimsuit and small gold hoops.

Earlier this year, Barrera starred in Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical drama "In the Heights," which was adapted from its Broadway version. The actress stars alongside Hollywood household names such as Stephanie Beatriz and Leslie Grace. Anthony Ramos stars as Usnavi, and Barrera plays Vanessa, Usnavi's love interest.

In June this year, her husband was her date to the film's premiere in Manhattan, New York. Zazueta posted a picture of himself posing with his wife at the premiere venue and expressed his pride and love for his wife's impressive work. He donned a black tux with white sneakers while she wore a stunning green gown with matching heels.