You know actor Lawrence St. Victor as sexy corporate attorney Carter Walton on The Bold and the Beautiful, but when the cameras stop rolling and he heads home, to his wife, film producer Shay St. Victor, he’s just a loving “dork” she met in college and has been madly in love with ever since.
They’re business partners, lovers, and most importantly, best friends who recently celebrated six years of marital bliss. When we caught up with the hot Hollywood couple, we had lots of juicy questions to ask.
Find out why Shay doesn’t have any problems with her hubby being a sex symbol, what the glue that holds their marriage together really is and how they make it work while balancing busy careers in TV.
ESSENCE.com: How did you meet?
LAWRENCE ST. VICTOR: In college. We both went to The Conservatory of Theater Arts and Film at SUNY Purchase to study acting. The way the program works, you’re with the same class for all four years.
SHAY ST. VICTOR: It was definitely an instant friendship. We felt like we knew each other. When you’re in a conservatory situation, you spend so much time with others that you open up quicker and really get to know them.
LAWRENCE: It was friendship at first sight.
SHAY: We tried to deny it for a while, especially around other people, but it quickly became undeniable that we were the ones for each other.
ESSENCE.com: What’s it like being married to a sexy, soap star?
SHAY: He’s actually really goofy. Honestly, women have lusted after him ever since we’ve been in college. He’s very personable, and he looks good, therefore it’s not anything new to me. It’s on another scale with him being on television though. At first it was strange, especially when women would come up to me to talk about him, but I just feel really secure with him. That’s why we’re so good together. I don’t feel afraid.
ESSENCE.com: Do you read his fan letters/comments?
SHAY: As much as he is handsome and good-looking, he is also a really big dork. Honestly, it’s like they really have no idea. He’s wearing Superman pajamas right now. He’s like a kid and I love him for that. I don’t see him as some big soap hunk. It’s cute.
ESSENCE.com: Are you flattered by all of the attention?
LAWRENCE: At first it was a little interesting, but I was in this world as an actor first. I didn’t start off modeling or anything. I don’t really think too much about it now. The fans are in love with the character I play. I don’t look at that as women wanting me. You want the guy you see everyday; the guy that I play on B&B.
ESSENCE.com: What makes your marriage work?
LAWRENCE: Honestly, God and our relationship with Him, because marriage is challenging. Our commonality has always been our faith, so when we don’t agree, we always have something to go to that will put us on the same road.
SHAY: Constantly remembering that part of him is a reflection of me and vice versa. If there’s something about him that I do not love at that moment, I always look at myself and wonder why that is and what part I play in that.
LAWRENCE: We try to make patience and forgiveness a part of our behavior. At the end of the day, there isn’t anyone on this earth who is never going to upset you or do things differently than you would have done, but if you have patience and forgiveness built up, that’s always going to help with those roadblocks.
ESSENCE.com: What’s your best advice for newlyweds?
LAWRENCE: That’s a loaded question. (Laughs.)
SHAY: Wait it out for two years at least – marriage gets better.
LAWRENCE: It’s true. I would say the same thing. When you’re boyfriend and girlfriend and when you have a wedding, everything is exciting, but after that is when you really have to deal with each other. Practice lots of patience.
ESSENCE.com: So, no kids just yet?
SHAY: That’s like the number one question everyone wants to know: “Hey, when are you going to have kids?”
LAWRENCE: For me, I just don’t like to do anything where I feel like I’m supposed to or there’s a timeline for it. We just moved to the West Coast and there are a lot of things we’re working on. It will happen when it happens. It just doesn’t feel like the time is right.
SHAY: I just really want to feel extremely settled in what I’m doing career-wise. My mother was such a great mother and I know that’s a big job. I really want to be there for my child when that time comes.
Lawrence is the co-executive producer, co-writer and co-star of the B&B webisode spinoff, Room 8.