Over the course of Love is Blind’s 10 episodes, fans watched Mark Cuevas and Jessica Batten fall in love. Like most relationships, especially those that happen on reality TV, it was complicated. The pair had many ups and downs as they tried to navigate this complex new situation of being engaged after only knowing each other for a couple weeks. The experiment brought out the good, the bad, and some ugly with all those involved.
Jessica wasn’t painted in the best light during her time on the series. Many fans criticized her for her treatment of Mark. Fans saw it all, everything from her drunk talk with Matt Barnett on his birthday to leaving Mark at the altar during their wedding. Despite their rocky road, Mark and Jessica have gotten to a place of mutual respect and understanding with one another.
Screen Rant recently spoke to Mark Cuevas to get his perspective on everything shown involving Jessica and him, how he’s tackling being in quarantine, and his dating life. Mark gave us a lot of great insight into the show, Jessica, and dating in general.
Screen Rant: As a fitness instructor, what are you doing to stay fit during the quarantine?
Mark Cuevas: Basically, what I'm doing right now is, and what's keeping me kind of in shape and sane, my live workouts that I've been doing. Doing 30-minute live workouts just to kind of help people out; really keep them moving and just allow them to see, ‘Hey, I'm doing this. Let's all do it together.’
That's kind of helped me, along with how I've started a morning routine of stretching, which is really allowed me to [relax]. Because this time can be very stressful, so stretching and working out with those live workouts have really allowed me to kind of keep my sanity.
How are the live workouts going? Are a lot of people tuning in?
Yeah, a lot of people are tuning in. I think at the peak, it was around anywhere between a revolving door of about 25,000 people. 20 to 25 thousand on a live workout. But no, people are still tuning in. It's funny to see the same ones - like, I also get, Instagram Stories posts, and the same people are still doing my workouts.
Because I was doing them every day, but now I've limited it to three times a week just because it is a lot, and we've been doing it for a month now. Just trying to allow us to have more creativity with the workout. It's been it's been great; people enjoy it. So far, it's been positive feedback. I'm losing my breath as I coach, but it's still a great time. I really enjoy it.
What made you want to go on Love Is Blind?
Well, they kind of found me, if I'm being honest. My extent of reality TV knowledge was probably Jersey Shore back in the day. I played sports my whole life; I never was like, ‘I'm gonna go on reality TV.’ That was never my thing.
But I kind of viewed it as an opportunity. When they approached me with it, it was kind of like, ‘Yeah, we're doing an Atlanta singles project. We're looking for singles that would be willing to find love.’ Obviously, they were very upfront with the potential of getting married. And I'm like, ‘I'm 24 years old, and if I find the opportunity to find that love at 24, then heck yeah.’
I think the one thing, just to be frank, is no one wants to die alone. My thing is, if I could find that at 24? Awesome. If not, then in my head, it could be a great experience.
Besides Jessica, did you form a connection with any of the other women during the pod dates?
I'll tell you my final top three were Diamond, Amber and Jessica. More so, there were more connections of, like, sisters. Because we went through all together; by the end of it I was helping Amber with Barnett and Diamond with Carlton, and so I'm always gonna have a lot of love for them. But in terms of during the pods, Jessica was the only one that I really had that deep "I'm gonna get married to this woman" connection with.
How accurately do you think the producers portrayed your relationship with Jessica?
To me, I think that because it's a 10-episode series, it's hard to get everything in there. There's always going to be things that they miss; there's always gonna be things that are in or out. I would say they did the best they could with the amount of time that the episodes allotted them.
What made you decide to recreate the pod atmosphere on that one date with Jessica?
What made me want to that? I don't know if you could tell by watching the show, but I kind wear my heart on my sleeve. On Reveal day, that was all 100% me.I was free; I felt like I won. We did it, we made it, and that's the woman that I fell in love with. For me, that was my attempt of saying, ‘Hey, we can get back to that.’
I think that - because that experience is very intense, and it can be very emotionally draining - let's try to get to that point again. Remember why we were doing this in the first place. So, when I brought up that idea, it was my way of saying, ‘Hey, I want to make this work.’
Did you suspect that Jessica had doubts about your relationship while you were dating?
Again, it was a very tough experience. There was a lot of ups and downs from, I would say, both of us being like, ‘We don't know…’ Honestly, we didn't even know what the other person was going to say until the very end. For me, I just stuck to my truth. I knew that once I saw her walking down the aisle, I was like, ‘I fell in love with this woman.’ And that's what I saw when I saw her in a white wedding dress with my family present. You know, I promised myself from the beginning that I was going to be myself no matter what.
How did your family react when Jessica didn't go through with the wedding?
Just supportive; there for me. The biggest thing is that that's my family; they just always had my back no matter what. And even though things didn't work out the way they planned, my mom has always told me that they're gonna work out the way they're supposed to. All they did was put an arm around me and really supported me through that tough time, because it did hurt.
Yeah, they definitely put their arm around me and always had my back.
What was it like watching yourself on Love Is Blind and seeing your story play out?
It's kind of interesting, right? You go into this mindset of like, ‘Wow, is that really what I was like on TV?’ I've never been on camera before, so this was a whole new ballgame for me. It was interesting, it was awesome, and I have zero regrets towards it just because I was 100% myself and I just submitted to that. It was such a blessing, because I strongly believe that that experience gave me so much in terms of emotional intelligence, that I'll be forever thankful for it.
How did your life change after the show became such a success?
You mean, like people walking up to me in the grocery store for no reason? It's interesting. I mean, it's cool. I still feel like the same guy; I'm still me. Nothing's changed in terms of - I've grown. I'm 26 now, not 24.
But for me, it's really been such a blessing and I'm so thankful that people have been able to connect with those stories. Cameron (Speed) and Lauren, Amber and Barnett, mine and Jessica. Every story, whether it made it through or it didn't make it through, it's cool to see that it really caught [people's] attention and they've really like let me know about it. Other people stop me on the street, and they're just like, ‘Oh my God, I love you and Love Is Blind.’ It's so cool. I'm still getting used to it. And it's the worst time to kind of get famous, because then I'm like, ‘I kind of want to keep up with people.’ I'm an extrovert. But at the end of the day, it's been so awesome to see.
Is there anything you wish had been shown, and not edited out of the show?
You know about the brown sheets, not to keep bringing it up. So, those weren't actually my sheets, to be honest. My best friend and his family had stayed in my room while I was gone; I was gone for like three weeks before we got back to Atlanta. And I didn't know that he had changed my sheets. So, if there was one thing I wish wasn't shown, it's probably the sheets. But, at the end of the day, it is what it is. And I'm not mad about it. I don't want to harp on it, because it's like, the more you bring it up, the more people [remember]. But it's kind of funny when you look at it.
How you feel about Jessica after seeing the show?
You know, to me, I'll be forever grateful for everything she taught me. I fell in love with someone without any kind of - no holds barred. I just fell in love with something hard, and I was the most vulnerable I'd ever been. And even if it didn't work out, those lessons that I learned from her, taught me how to be a man, and how to just move forward and set boundaries; to be upfront in my relationships.
To me, Jessica is kind of like that pillar in my life that allows me to [try] for my next relationship to work out. So, I'm so thankful for her. Again, that experience was so tough. People only get a small sample size, so it's hard to really be like, ‘Okay, do you hate her?’ No, I don't hate her. Everybody handles things differently. She's doing her thing, I'm doing my thing. And, for me, I'll just be forever grateful for that.
Is there anything you want to say to fans and press who are saying negative things about Jessica? Do you think they gave her too hard of a time about the scene with the dog and the wine-sipping?
I would say to anybody giving her too hard of a time, everybody handles things differently. Walk a mile in someone's shoes, right? And so, you can't really say, ‘Oh, I would have done this or this or that.’ This is such an expedited process, and it's easy to see it from the outside view. Would someone handle it differently? Maybe, but there's some folks who might have done it the same exact way. You can't hate someone for how they had that response. But again, it's all a learning lesson.
For folks giving her [a hard time] about the wine, that's just something spur of the moment. Who knows? I didn't even notice it was going on when it was happening, but at the end of the day, it was a one-time thing. And I'm sure there's people that haven't spoken up that probably have fed their dogs wine, and they're like, ‘Ooh, so that is bad to do.’ So, I'm sure she's not the first one to do it.
I was so focused on the questions that she was asking me that I didn't notice it until I watched it back, and I was like ‘Ah…’
Do you and Jessica still keep in touch?
She's doing her thing. I think, after the reunion, we kept in touch for a little while. But she's super, super busy with her job. Me, I'm figuring out my thing and what I'm trying to do. But if she ever needs anything, my phone line's always open. I'm never gonna ignore her call. She was telling me the same thing, that if I ever needed anything, she would reach out to me. So, yeah, whatever vice versa. She'd reach out to me or I'd reach out to her, and she'd answer.
We're cool. We're at that place where we're not super close, but at the end of the day you go through something with someone together that, it's hard to not keep in touch. You know what I'm saying?
Did she ever end up making you the Italian beef?
No, she did not make me the Italian beef. But Portillo's in Chicago did send me Italian beef, because they found out about that. And I'm forever thankful for Portillo's Italian beef, because now my freezer is stocked full and it is awesome. At the end of the day, did Jess make me Italian best? No, but my favorite place in the world in terms of Italian beef and hot dogs sent it to me. So, life is good. Balance has been restored.
Love Is Blind showed how sweet you were to Jessica. What were some nice things she did for you while you were engaged?
She actually did [a lot]. Every morning, she was very consistent in terms of talking to me. Words of affirmation, that's the kind of guy I am, and so she would always do that. She was always very open to me, like, what my ideas were or my future was. She was a great listener. I would say those were some things that were the positives in the relationship.
Do you still hang out with anyone from the show?
Yeah. Cameron and Lauren; I still communicate with Cameron, and I was talking to Barnett the other day. A lot of us that made it to Mexico are still really, really close. Obviously, with this whole experience, they're gonna be closer with some people than others. I mean, I feel like that's with anything you do. There's some people that you just form a closer bond [with], and that's it.
I've been closer to and talked to Cameron a whole bunch. He's a really good buddy of mine, because even before the show aired, we were calling each other every week. Going, ‘Hey man, have you heard anything? How's it going? How are you holding up?’ We all keep in touch; we're all still really close.
Your best friend and you were pretty close on the show. What did he think of Jessica when he met her, and what was he telling you before the wedding?
My best friend, he's like my brother. He's always had my back, and he's always just been 100% supportive. Again, this whole experience for someone that didn't go through it, can be a little just like, ‘What the heck are you doing, dude? Like, what?’
But the cool thing about the people in my life is they're always so supportive of everything I do. He was just like, ‘Dude, I mean, if this is what you want to do, man? I love you. I got your back. At the end of the day, is this a way that I would get married? Probably not.’ But he's like, ‘Dude, I got your back. Whatever you need.’ He was always very supportive of me.
Did he say anything to you after the wedding? Words of comfort or anything like that?
He just said, ‘Dude, you're going to get through this. You're a tough guy, no matter what.’ He put his arm around me, and he's like, ‘Dude, you're the type of guy that has a lot of resiliency. No matter what, just put one foot in front of the other.’
What did you think of Amber's comment to Jessica at the reunion?
To me, I'm sure it's all heat of the moment. Especially since none of us got to watch it before the show came out - we watched it with everybody else, so emotions can be very high. Whatever someone feels, I think that people are more than welcome to speak their mind and say what they got to say. That's what reunions are for, you know? And to me, that's just what she had to get off her chest, and that's that.
Were you surprised by Jessica's conversation with Barnett at his birthday party?
Kind of surprised. But at the end of the day, there's so much in there - with the episodes and everything. In the midst of it, there's things that you don't know and you don't see. Now, looking back at it, it's like, ‘Oh, so that's what was going on.’ But at the end of the day, does it really matter?
Would you be open to returning to Love Is Blind or another dating reality show?
Yeah, I'd be open to it. Again, I have more experience under my belt. I understand myself a little bit more in terms of dating and experience, and stuff like that. So, for me, yeah. I'd be open to it. It'd be something that I'd really be open to.
Has your concept of the ideal mate changes since being on the show?
There's a difference between beauty and hot. For me, I look for a beautiful person; someone that is really deep and connected with their family. Family values are very important. Someone that - in terms of setting boundaries, respect and trust - can communicate their feelings in a very healthy way. That's something that I look for, as opposed to like, ‘Oh, this person is this or this or that, or does this.’
I look for more of the internal now, because that's what life's about. I mean, the whole point of love is can you grow old with someone in a rocking chair for 80 years and not want to punch them in the face. I really think that I definitely look for the internal now, and someone that can really benefit my life in that way. Someone that I can just integrate my family values with.
Do you have a timeline of when you want to get married?
It's hard to predict those kinds of things, right? When the right person walks in front of me, I'll know it when I know it. But at this time I'm just working on myself and taking it day by day. I'm not gonna discount any opportunity to find that love, but at the end of the day, if it happens? Awesome, but I'm not going to be feeling like there's some kind of pressure to be like, ‘I need to get married tomorrow.’
I already did the expedited process, and if I find that person, then sure. But if not, then I'm gonna keep doing my thing until she shows up.
This kept coming up in relation to Jessica. Have you dated any other women in their 30s?
No, that was definitely the first woman I dated that was in her 30s. But again, it was an awesome experience. And it gave me a lot of insight in terms of maturity and being myself. It was a great experience to date someone in their 30s.
How has your dating life been like since the show aired? Have some fans tried to date you? Do you use dating apps at all?
For the first part, when the show aired, we kind of fell into quarantine time. It's kind of been really hard to go date, because of the timing. But again, it's allowed me to focus on myself and figure some things and help navigate this whole thing.
I don't use any dating app right now. I feel like my personality doesn't necessarily get portrayed on there. But, at the end of the day, it's not like I'd be against it. I wouldn't be using a dating app. Dating for me is just - like I said, right now is the time that I'm really taking everything that I've learned from the show, from what's going on globally right now, and just focusing on what I want in terms of a partner and my needs.
My dating life has been very relaxed. No stress; it hasn't been stressing me out. Any fans? I mean, people will send [messages] that they love me or they'd love to marry me. But nothing, like, they're trying to date me. Yeah, it's just focusing on me right now and taking that time.
Is there anything you want to tell our readers about the show or anything you've got going on?
Oh, yeah! About the show, I would just hope that in terms of authenticity, it allows them to look within their own relationships - whether it's friends, family, or their significant other. And it allows them to ask the tough questions, because I think that that's what love is about - not being scared to ask those questions and not being afraid of the response. Because at the end of the day, if they answer in an angry way, or they're not for you, you have to be okay to let that person go. In my opinion, it's about you and what makes you happy, and how can that reside in someone else. Working together in love and not working in terms of like individual journeys. I really think that people can take that lesson from each relationship and apply it to their own relationships.
And for me, what's coming up, I'm gonna be an ambassador for the Special Olympics in Illinois. Things like that are coming up. I'm going to be coaching events in LA, Shape magazine. So, I would say for readers to just look out for my Instagram and my website that's linked in my Instagram, MarkAnthonyCuevas.com. Just to see what updates I have coming up to keep people on their toes.