Boy meets love! Rider strong and Alexandra Barreto led to an instant connection on the set of the short-lived series Pepper Dennis.
The Boy meets world alum and Barreto were cast as Chick and Blanca, respectively, in the 2006 sitcom next door Rebecca Roman. Despite the comedy’s early cancellation after one season, the couple quickly turned their working relationship into a personal one.
Strong — who rose to fame as Shawn Hunter in the early 2000s hit — set the commits alum in December 2012.
“I took her for a walk under the redwoods on the property where I grew up in Northern California,” Strong told Exclusively Us weekly at that moment. “It was raining cats and dogs, but it didn’t look like it would stop anytime soon, so I decided to go for it.”
The Benefit of the doubt actor sat down on bended knee with a homemade diamond bauble. “I secretly made the ring for weeks. I found an old-school jeweler who works out of his basement in Echo Park and asked him to teach me how to make a lost-wax casting,” he recalled Us. “My brother [Shiloh Strong] and I write together in his loft in downtown LA, so I could set up a workspace there. I carved the ring out of wax and then cast it in white gold. I had my father make me a wooden ring box. My father made my mother’s ring, so I followed in his footsteps.”
The pair tied the knot a year later in a camp-themed wedding.
“I’m incredibly lucky to be getting married to my best friend and partner-in-crime,” the cohost of the “Pod Meets World” podcast, which his BMW character on Disney Channel’s Girl meets world – told exclusively Us in October 2013 prior to the big day. “We’re getting married at a summer camp in Oregon. It will be a camp themed weekend, everyone sleeping in cages, a ropes course, games [and] a talent show. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain too much!”
The native of California and the Too late actress went on to welcome their first child, son Indigo “Indy” Barreto Strong. Us confirmed in January 2015 that Barreto had given birth a month early after keeping her pregnancy private.
Since becoming a father, the actor likes to share his passions with his son. However, Indigo wasn’t too keen on watching Strong’s film and TV projects.
“I do a cartoon called Star vs the forces of evil. It actually just ended and I finally thought, ‘Hey! Let’s watch this one!’ Because it came on his recommendations [shows] one morning,” Strong shared exclusively Us in August 2019 from his son, then 4 years old. “I was like, ‘Let’s watch the show I voice!’ My son didn’t care. Like, no. No. … I’m like, “That guy! With the three eyes! And the horns! That’s my voice!” He’s like, ‘No. Doesn’t matter. Not impressive.'”
Though Indigo remained indifferent to the careers of his famous parents, Strong regularly shared advice with his comrade Boy meets world costars on raising kids.
“[I’m] handing out condescending parenting advice because I have a four-year head start on her,” he said jokingly Us in 2019, referring to Danielle Fisheleldest son, Adler, born in July. “[I tell her], ‘Listen. Here’s how you sleep, here’s what books you should read.’”
Scroll down to see Strong and the Dungeon master actress’ complete relationship timeline: