Ever since Lifetime’s series “Marrying Millions” (which has returned for Season 2 on Wednesdays, at 10 p.m. ET/PT) has aired, people have questioned the relationship between Rodney and Desiry. Specifically: Is Rodney gay?
Brought to the screen by the creators of “90 Day Fiancé,” the series features five new couples with returning favorites Bill and Brianna from Dallas and Gentille and Brian from Las Vegas. Here, the series follows relationships where one partner is incredibly wealthy and the other is definitively not, leading the couple to face intense scrutiny from family and friends and questions about whether it’s true love…or true love of the money and lavish lifestyles.
I’ll share three couples that caught my eye. The first couple is from Dallas, Bill and Brianna. Bill is 61 years old. He founded and currently runs a commercial real estate company with investments in the billions. He’s been divorced, twice, before he met Brianna, 22, at a popular restaurant in Dallas where Brianna was a hostess. Let’s do the math. He’s 61 and a billionaire. She’s 22 and a hostess. There is an almost 40-year age gap. Do you remember the dialogue from the popular film “Ghost”? “Molly, you in danger girl,” that’s what blazed in my head when I watched their exchange. Eventually, Brianna will become 23, then 24, and so forth and so on, and, I suspect, “too old” for billionaire Bill.
The second couple is Rick (68) and Erica (23). She’s from a small town in Springfield, Illinois, and he lives aboard his yacht in Miami Beach. Here there is a 45-year age gap. The two met through social media, and after liking some of her photos, he moved quickly to ask her to live with him on his yacht.
Then there’s Rodney and Desiry from Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. And the question about his sexuality.
Rodney is a multi-millionaire who makes his money in the wine industry. Desiry, a former police officer, works for a non-profit. But with Rodney living outside of Washington, D.C., and Desiry residing in Los Angeles, their relationship has its share of challenges, including the fact that they have kept their relationship a secret.
I had an opportunity to speak with Rodney and Desiry, but before you venture to read the brief Q&A please visit the links below, and do take a peek into their relationship and watch these clips.
Here is what Rodney and Desiry had to share about being on “Marrying Millions.”
AmNews: Ok, let me start with you, Desiry. It’s very courageous of you both, I think, to open your lives to a reality television series. Do you agree? What made you step into this?
Desiry Hall: I wanted to really push Rodney to the core of where our relationship was headed. I felt like if I asked him to come on the show, that he is heading in the same direction that I was. Which is marriage. So, we talked about marriage. So, I thought if he comes on this show he’s serious. If not, then I know that I am wasting my time.
AMN: And how does this end for you?
DH: (pregnant pause) I can’t say. You have to watch the show. [Marriage]…it takes work. I’ve tried my best to tell Rodney that because I’ve had that experience under my belt and I just know what it takes a marriage to work. Marriage is about compromise. You have to be selfless.
Women know what they want. You go after what you want.
Rodney Foster: Yes. There is a lot of compromise in our relationship. We try to come to a point where we…
AMN: Rodney. You are silent.
RF: No. I just answered you (laughter). We try to come to a point where we respect each other’s space.
AMN: Oh my gosh, I thought I was talking with Desiry.
RF: No. That was me.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.