The Peloton Wife’s Identity Is Revealed: Actress Responds to Ad Controversy

Who is the “Peloton Wife?” Well, you may have seen her before.

Actress Monica Ruiz plays the role in the exercise bike company’s holiday ad, which sparked controversy this week.

In the commercial, her character is gifted a bike by her husband and records a vlog of her workouts and progress over the course of a year. Many have slammed the video as sexist. Days later, Ruiz surfaced again in a commercial for Ryan Reynolds‘ Aviation Gin company, which appeared to be a response to the controversial ad.

“I was happy to accept a job opportunity earlier this year from Peloton and the team was lovely to work with,” Ruiz said in a statement through her agency, LA Talent, according to Deadline. “Although I’m an actress, I am not quite comfortable being in spotlight and I’m terrible on social media. So to say I was shocked and overwhelmed by the attention this week (especially the negative) is an understatement.

“When Ryan and his production team called about Aviation Gin, they helped me find some humor in the situation,” she continued. “I am grateful to both Peloton and now Aviation Gin for the work and giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do.”

Ruiz has acted in a few commercials in the past, including ads for Lee Jeans and Herbal Essences. She made her onscreen TV acting debut in 2009 with a small role on an episode of BET’s The Game. In recent years, she had an uncredited role in the comedy movie Let’s Be Cops and also appeared on the shows About a Boy, ABC Family’s Baby Daddy and The Exes.

Ruiz has not commented on the backlash over the Peloton ad.

Her onscreen husband was recently identified to be actor Sean Hunter.

“I’m in L.A. right now and will be reuniting with Monica to see how she’s been handling this last week and we’ll be discussing her commercial and why she chose to do it,” he told E! News exclusively. “I’m very interested to hear her side of the story. More to come!”

Hunter had said on Good Morning America on Friday, “My image is being associated with sexism, with the patriarchy, with abuse, for example. That’s not who I am.”

Meanwhile, Peloton has also defended its ad.

“We constantly hear from our members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways that surprise them,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to CNN. “Our holiday spot was created to that fitness and wellness journey.”

“While we’re disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial, we are encouraged by—and grateful for—the outpouring of support we’ve received from those who understand what we were trying to communicate,” the spokesperson said.

—Reporting by Spencer Lubitz