After facing backlash over her Peloton commercial, Monica Ruiz was invited on the TODAY show to address her distressed expression that has gone viral, and her brand new commercial for Ryan Reynolds gin brand, Aviation.
NBC
Ryan Reynolds Meets Peloton Ad Actress Monica Ruiz
Monica Ruiz, AKA, the "Peloton lady" has faced a ton of criticism and even concern over her distressed expression.
YouTube | Peloton
After starring in a Peloton ad, her expressive eyebrows had gone viral.
Viewers couldn't seem to get over how upset she looked throughout the entire commercial.
YouTube | Peloton
At times when she should have looked happy, she looked disappointed and worried.
People were actually concerned about Monica's mental health, IRL.
So, she paid a visit to the "TODAY" show to let everybody know that she's totally fine and that her expression was misinterpreted.
YouTube | Peloton
“I hope that people can just see me as an actress,” she said.
“I hope people can remember that I’m not actually the Peloton lady.”
YouTube | TODAY
She described the feedback she got from the ad as "really negative".
She explained that she initially tried to ignore the backlash and hoped it would sort itself out, but it was unrelenting.
YouTube | TODAY
“People started answering for me,” she said. “I thought OK, I’ll just let everyone know I’m fine. I’m OK, I’m not in rehab for mental health.”
“It was my face, that was the problem,” she said. “My eyebrows looked, like, worried, I guess?”
YouTube | TODAY
Monica's worried expression was not for nothing, however! It landed her a sequel in Ryan Reynolds' Aviation gin commercial.
The ad shows Monica sitting at a bar between two friends who appear to be treading lightly — so to speak — trying to comfort her.
YouTube | TODAY
She assures her friends that she's fine, subsequently chugging her entire gin martini.
She admitted that she was worried she would offend Peloton, but revealed that Ryan assured her she was simply “taking air out of the situation.”
YouTube | TODAY
When life gives you lemons...
She said that she had "an amazing experience" shooting the Peloton commercial, so she was a bit wary about acepting the Aviation gin ad opportunity.
YouTube | TODAY
"I was like, 'I don't want them to think that I'm like going to make fun of them or say anything mean.'"
Just then, Ryan made a surprise appearance on the show, joining Monica, to wrap up the interview.
It was the first time that they actually got to meet in person!
He explained that he thought the commercial was a good way to nod at the viral Peloton ad without actually choosing a side of the controversy.
YouTube | TODAY
Steering into the skid, if you will.
“We love acknowledging and playing with the cultural landscape, and we thought this was an opportunity to do something,” he said.
YouTube | TODAY
“We had this thought that we could do this ad without … vilifying anybody,” he said. "Just sort of commenting on both the person and the actress in the ad all at once."
Meanwhile, Monica was reacting the way anybody would react to meeting Ryan Reynolds for the first time.
YouTube | TODAY
"I'm like in an alternate universe," she exclaimed. "This is so weird."
Ultimately, things seem to be panning out quite well for Monica Ruiz.
YouTube | TODAY
Her face went viral, she has two new ads to put on her resume, she got to be a guest on the TODAY show, and best of all, she got to meet Ryan Reynolds.
Moral of the story: Your eyebrows can literally change your entire life.
Let us know what you think of Monica Ruiz ad for Ryan Reynolds' gin, Aviation!
Most Popular
