Monica Ruiz
Monica Ruiz
Monica Ruiz (born 1987) is an American actress, model and Instagram star from Los Angeles, California. [1]
Personal Life
Monica Ruiz was born in Redondo Beach, California. She got married to Christopher O’Malley in September of 2013. The couple have two children together. Monica shared in an interview that she hopes to one day teach elementary school. [2]
Monica likes to stay in shape and loves to dance. She used to play basketball and volleyball and running is one of her favorite hobbies. She revealed to IGN that she's passionate about gaming: [2]
"I love the old school Nintendo systems.
Super Nintendo is my favorite.
When I'd get grounded in High school (which was really often), my best friend would come over and her, my sister, and I would play until 3 or 4 in the morning.
We'd drink a 3-liter of Shasta soda and piss off my parents when we got too loud screaming at the game!
Guess I wasn't the biggest party animal in High school!"
Education
Career
Modeling
She posed for the cover of the magazine Pregnancy and Newborn in July 2018 and aso modeled maternity wear for Gap. [4]
Television Film and Commercials
Monica got her start in showbusiness in a 2006 show called "The Game".
She later played a model in the TV series, The Birthday Boys, and also had a small role in About A Boy that same year. She also played Marissa in the ABC comedy "Baby Daddy". [1]
Ruiz has appeared in nationally broadcasted commercials for brands such as Rent-A-Center, Lee Jeans, Herbal Essences and Peloton. She's also been in ads for Speedo and Target.
Peloton Commercial
In late 2019, Monica starred in a commercial for Peloton titled "The Gift That Keeps Giving" that drew a lot of controversy. In the ad, a husband played by Sean Hunter gives his wife a $2,000+ Peloton bike for Christmas and she proceeds to document her year long journey with the bike. The ad was perceived as sexist, and even led people to identify the husband as an abuser. Ruiz blamed the whole fiasco on her eyebrows: [5] [7]
"Honestly, I think it was just my face.
It was my fault!
My eyebrows looked worried, I guess?
People were like, ‘You look scared.’ I’m telling you, it was my face, that was the problem, and then it just exploded it from there.
She looks worried and I’m like, ‘Oh no, my eyebrows.
They move!’"
The ad went viral for all the wrong reasons and coincided with a massive drop in Peloton's stock price. [6]
Aviation Gin
After appearing in the infamous Peloton commercial, Monica collaborated with Ryan Reynolds to film a commercial that continues the saga for Aviation Gin. In the new commercial titled "The Gift That Doesn't Give Back", Ruiz appears slightly forlorn and lost in thought at a bar with friends. One friend goes on to tell her that "she's safe" while they all toast to new beginnings and Ruiz guzzles her drink in one fell swoop. As the ad fades out her friend says "You look great, by the way!" [8]
Ruiz was initially distressed by the way the Peloton ad went viral. She didn't feel that the ad came off that way and thought it would quickly blow over. Luckily, Ryan Reynolds and his team reached out about Aviation Gin almost immediately after the original commercial started making waves: [9]
"When Ryan and his production team called about Aviation Gin, they helped me find some humor in the situation."
The ad was produced by Adam & Eve DDB’s New York office with help from Ryan Reynolds’ production company, Maximum Effort Productions.