April 4, 2022
Watch: 'Survivor' Alum Zeke Smith and Nico Santos from 'Superstore' Get Engaged at GLAAD Media Awards
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Four years after they met backstage at the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards, trans "Survivor" cast member Zeke Smith and out "Superstore" star Nico Santos came full circle: The pair got engaged onstage at this year's gala event on April 2, Us Magazine reported.
Moreover, the engagement happened with the entire audience attending the event looking on, Entertainment Weekly detailed.
After joining Santos onstage, Smith recalled how Santos had "got me a cocktail, lured me into his limousine, and he swept me off my feet."
Then the big moment arrived, catching Santos by surprise.
"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," EW quoted Smith telling Santos, as Smith fell to one knee "during Saturday's ceremony in Los Angeles."
"The 'Superstore' actor, looking stunned, said yes as Smith slipped a ring onto his finger," EW added.
The couple sealed the deal with a kiss on stage, as the audience rose to its feet in a standing ovation.
Buzzfeed reported that Santos took to Instagram later on and shared the romantic moment: "I said yes."
"You have my heart forever," Santos added.
Smith, meanwhile, also took to Instagram to share the happy news.
"He said yes. I'm the luckiest guy in the world," Smith posted.
"Thank you to @glaad and @tiffanyandco for making it magical."
"Smith made headlines in 2017 when he was outed as transgender by a fellow contestant while competing on 'Survivor: Game Changers,'" EW recalled. "Opening up about the experience to EW afterward, he defended CBS's decision to air it and expressed surprise at the positive response he got from fans."
Smith told EW at the time, "what makes me so proud to be a part of this moment is that it seems like it marks a change in the way a trans story is being covered."
"I just hope that this can be the model for how a trans person is received in the public arena going forward."
Santos had previously talked about "diversity in LGBTQ+ storytelling" with EW, the magazine recollected, saying, "There's a wealth of stories and experiences to draw from from our community, and I feel like our art should reflect that."
"It should look like the world that we live in," Santos added. "Our flag is a rainbow after all, it's not white."
The awards show will air on HULU on April 16.
Watch the video of the proposal embedded in the tweet from EW, below.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
