Exclusive Interview

’90 Day Fiancé’s Marissa Rubinetti Defends Relationship Amid ‘Brutal’ Criticism (VIDEO)

“The fans have a lot to say,” 90 Day Fiancé star Marissa Rubinetti told Swooon. “They have a lot to say about us.”

During Season 12 of 90 Day Fiancé, viewers have gotten to know Marissa, a Kleinfeld exec, and her fiancé, Edward Gomez, a hospitality worker from the Dominican Republic. Marissa herself will be the first to admit that their relationship is definitely an opposites attract scenario. “I still look at us sometimes, too, and think we are so opposite, what are we seeing each other? But sometimes a connection is more than just having the same interests.”

Now, she’s sitting down with Swooon to show another side of her relationship with Edward and respond to fan speculation about their relationship and more.

As a Kleinfeld VP, Marissa had already briefly appeared on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress before her time on 90 Day Fiancé. While that was more of her day-to-day job, where the bride was always the focus, she revealed, “It’s the biggest difference [being on] 90 Day Fiancé. They’re really focusing on me personally, whereas Say Yes to the Dress, I was kind of just on the outskirts and not the center of attention.”

While Marissa had already had that TLC connection, the reality star revealed that she and Edward found their way onto 90 Day Fiancé through a Facebook group for K-1 Visa applicants. That said, being on reality TV is “not a dream.” Getting candid, Marissa explained, “It’s really hard. You go into it thinking that it’s going to be really a fun experience — and there are times that it is a fun experience — but having your life and your relationship exposed on TV, and having cameras watching you, and going through all the ups and downs of your relationship is really tough. I think it makes it even more difficult for two people figuring out what they’re gonna do in 90 days.”

Marissa Rubinetti / Instagram

Of course, Marissa has also seen some of the harsher comments about their relationship online. Reacting to the fans’ perception of their relationship, Marissa said, “They think that I am completely bossy and controlling, and I don’t give Edward his way, and I just want to rule his life, which is not true… I want him to thrive in this country, I want him to become the best version of himself, and I want him to be successful. And me guiding him along the way isn’t necessarily trying to control his life, but it’s more of like him developing into the best version of himself.”

According to Marissa, one thing fans didn’t see was Edward asking her to do these things. “Another thing that people don’t realize is that, when I’m trying to get Edward to exercise and eat healthy, that’s at his request,” Marissa revealed. “He came in, and he said, ‘Oh, I really want to lose weight. I really want to get in shape. Can you help me?’ Because you know, I’m very into fitness, and he asked me, so I was naturally just doing the best thing that I knew that I could do for him… I’m not trying to like rule his life; I’m just trying to support what he’s asked me to.”

Similarly, she revealed that Edward brings out a lot of positive qualities in her. “Edward encourages me to relax and calm down and not make everything a big ordeal because I have a tendency to get nervous, and anxieties heighten whenever I have some stress on my plate.” In fact, before Marissa met Edward, she had vowed never to get married again.

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Looking forward to the rest of the season, Marissa laughed, teasing, “It doesn’t get better. My stress and anxiety levels continue to rise, and that causes a lot of friction between Edward and I.” She explained, “I had asked him to be more prepared when he came to the United States, and the fact is, he wasn’t. He was not prepared to come here, at least to my expectation, my level of expectation. So, you’ll see a lot of conflict between us about money and just being proactive about getting your life started here.”

So, given the heightened stress and fan response, would Marissa return to 90 Day Fiancé? She told Swooon, “I would. I mean, as much as it was a very difficult time to be filming the 90 days, at the end of it, it was a really great experience. Now I’m kind of watching myself back on TV, I’m learning a lot about myself, and I’m growing as a person. I’m like, ‘Wow, I could have probably said that in a different way’ or ‘I could have approached that topic differently.'”

Still, she confessed, “It’s really hard. The comments are brutal, the fans are brutal, but it’s actually helping me to step back and look from the outside, and say, ‘You know what, I can be better.’ If I get on another season, it’s gonna be like my redemption season.”

Watch our full interview with Marissa above to learn more about how she met Edward, where he stands with her family, and more.

90 Day Fiancé, Season 12, Sundays at 8/7c, TLC