The Castanos might just be the most Vegas-y couple we know. They did meet at the circus, after all.
A publicist for O by Cirque Du Soleil at the time, Molly met her husband Jorge, a Colombian diver, amid a pack of painted clowns, hypnotic zebras and siren swimmers. He was one of few performers she could pick out of a lineup because he wasn’t wearing any makeup—and he could carry a tune.
“I would know he was coming because he’d whistle ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ all year long, all the time, so I would hear the whistles and be like, ‘Oh, here he comes,’” Molly laughs. “It was always a nice distraction from work. He kind of became my work best friend.”
An O performer of 20 years, Jorge has been with the show longer than some of its cast members have been alive. He began diving at age 10, eventually graduating to high diving and three national championships. Some years later, he took his greatest leap—into his future wife’s heart.
“[Jorge] made me dinner for my birthday,” Molly recalls. “And I got to his house, and I swear it was like Neverland. It was like the house that never grew up, because everyone at the show had keys to the house. If you were moving to Vegas, or if you’d just broken up with someone, or if you were in between houses, you just lived with Jorge.”
They were in different chapters of their lives. Molly had two children and a corporate career ahead of her; Jorge was a fun-loving bachelor living the circus life. And yet their friendship always seemed destined for more.
“He made me dinner, and as I was leaving, he kind of chased after me and kissed me,” Molly says. “That was our first kiss.”
The Castanos have since been together for 13 years, married for 11. As vice president of public relations and communications for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Molly promotes Vegas tourism on a grand and very global scale. Meanwhile, Jorge’s a seasoned performer in one of the most successful shows on the Strip. Their paths could not be more different, but they’ve mastered how to make it work. Here is some advice they shared with the Weekly for how to make love last.
Find the overlaps
“I think it’s about having the person complement you,” says Molly. “We’ve maintained our own identities and our skill sets are so different that people ask, ‘What do you guys talk about?’ Find those touch points that overlap or an interest you can do together. We’ll go to Boulder City and do a bike ride and then grab lunch down there or go to Red Rock. There’s always these ways to come together, and then it’s sometimes as boring as ‘Let’s watch Dateline.’”
Embrace your space
Because they run on opposite work schedules, it’s rare for the Castanos to see each other for more than a few moments outside of their weekends and select evenings. But that balance of alone time can serve couples well.
“Something that’s actually worked really well for us is that it gives us time to each have our own interests, too,” she says. “I can watch the crappy reality shows that I love, where I don’t have to hear—”
“My documentaries,” Jorge chimes in, laughing.
Molly nods. “It gives us our own identities a little bit and then we really appreciate the time that we have together.”
Don’t sweat the small stuff
“Despite my little English, communication is key for a good relationship and not holding grudges,” Jorge says.
Molly recommends also asking yourself during conflicts, is this a hill you want to die on? Often, it’s not.
“When we first started dating, we were really good at holding grudges. We’re both stubborn. My verbal abilities are stronger than his, and I had to not use that as a weapon,” she says. “… I would railroad him verbally by drilling the point into the ground. But it’s like, does this matter? This isn’t our relationship. This one thing is not us. It’s about letting those little things go.’’
Exercise empathy
When it comes to relationships, having compassion for your partner is crucial.
“I have a lot of empathy for whatever she does, because I see the other side of her job, all the email and all the sacrificing herself. It’s a lot,” Jorge says. “I was telling her yesterday one of the beauties of my job is that when I’m done with the show, I’m done. When she comes home, work is still there. When she gets a little stressed, I have to be the patient face of this, so she gets a little more calm, and I try to help as much as I can.”
Bring your sense of humor
If there’s anything that can create a long-lasting bond, it’s sharing a laugh together.
“We’re lucky that we have the same type of humor. It’s really important to a relationship,” Jorge says.
“It can break a more tense moment,” Molly adds. “He knows if he gets me to laugh, then he’s home free. … I think one of our first friendship moments was the fact that he made me laugh. He was nice and we got along, but it’s the humor [for me].”
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