WhenAna Ortizand Noah Lebenzon went on their first date in 2004, Lebenzon wasn’t sure if he wanted a family. Ortiz, however, had other plans.“On our first date I told him, ‘Listen, I want babies, so if you’re not interested, we can call it a night,’ " Ortiz, 50, tells PEOPLE in this week’s Family Issue, on stands Friday. “I always knew I wanted a family. I always knew I wanted kids. Marriage was sort of like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ But then I met Noah and it was just sort of perfect.“Fast-forward 17 years and the couple are parents to Rafael, 9, and Paloma, 12, who Ortiz says “were just kinda born great.“For Lebenzon, 51, and Ortiz, who stars in Hulu’sLove, Victor, it’s been honest communication and occasional space that has kept their marriage strong, even if the latter was more difficult during the pandemic. (Plus, it helps that Lebenzon “can tolerate me,” says Ortiz. “He’s super foxy and really smart.")Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Denise Crew"I think that that was actually the silver lining from the pandemic is that we really spent all that time together and we didn’t drive each other completely insane,” Ortiz says. “We had our moments, but it actually was kind of wonderful. They are growing up so fast. As a parent, you realize it goes so quickly.“During their quality time together, the family would go for walks, play card games and always have dinner together as a family — even when Lebenzon is a stickler for table manners! (“Someday they’ll get it,” he says with a laugh.)Raf, who hopes to be an actor just like Mom, spent time in quarantine taking piano and acting lessons virtually while Paloma learned how to make Chinese bao in virtual cooking classes. And although Ortiz says the kids “came onto this planet great,” she wants them to remember it’s OK to make mistakes.“Failure is OK. It can help you grow, as opposed to being scared of failing, being scared of not always having it done perfectly,” she says. “I find that that’s such a thing I see with kids these days. They’re just striving to be perfect. And like any failure is a terrible thing. But I honestly want them to know that it’s OK. That’s how you really can grow. And that’s how you really learn. Getting up after you fail or after you fall is something that they can carry through their life.““For me, I think it’s hard work and grit and following through. When you start something, finish it,” adds Lebenzon.Spending time together has also allowed the family to reflect on what the word “family” really means to them.“Family is the people you can lean on and count on and always having someone there for you,” says Ortiz. “It’s support and unconditional love.““Your family is always there for you, even if no one else is,” adds Paloma.“Unconditional support is what it means to me,” chimes in Lebenzon. “Ana has taught me a lot about that. She has a way of creating family wherever she goes. And that is a talent!“For Raf, “I don’t have friends, I have family,” he says, deepening his voice.“Oh, he’s doing Vin Diesel now. When he starts quotingFast and Furious, it a wrap!” says Ortiz with a laugh.For more from Ana Ortiz and her family, pick up the Family Issue of PEOPLE,on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
WhenAna Ortizand Noah Lebenzon went on their first date in 2004, Lebenzon wasn’t sure if he wanted a family. Ortiz, however, had other plans.
“On our first date I told him, ‘Listen, I want babies, so if you’re not interested, we can call it a night,’ " Ortiz, 50, tells PEOPLE in this week’s Family Issue, on stands Friday. “I always knew I wanted a family. I always knew I wanted kids. Marriage was sort of like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ But then I met Noah and it was just sort of perfect.”
Fast-forward 17 years and the couple are parents to Rafael, 9, and Paloma, 12, who Ortiz says “were just kinda born great.”
For Lebenzon, 51, and Ortiz, who stars in Hulu’sLove, Victor, it’s been honest communication and occasional space that has kept their marriage strong, even if the latter was more difficult during the pandemic. (Plus, it helps that Lebenzon “can tolerate me,” says Ortiz. “He’s super foxy and really smart.")
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Denise Crew
“I think that that was actually the silver lining from the pandemic is that we really spent all that time together and we didn’t drive each other completely insane,” Ortiz says. “We had our moments, but it actually was kind of wonderful. They are growing up so fast. As a parent, you realize it goes so quickly.”
During their quality time together, the family would go for walks, play card games and always have dinner together as a family — even when Lebenzon is a stickler for table manners! (“Someday they’ll get it,” he says with a laugh.)
Raf, who hopes to be an actor just like Mom, spent time in quarantine taking piano and acting lessons virtually while Paloma learned how to make Chinese bao in virtual cooking classes. And although Ortiz says the kids “came onto this planet great,” she wants them to remember it’s OK to make mistakes.
“Failure is OK. It can help you grow, as opposed to being scared of failing, being scared of not always having it done perfectly,” she says. “I find that that’s such a thing I see with kids these days. They’re just striving to be perfect. And like any failure is a terrible thing. But I honestly want them to know that it’s OK. That’s how you really can grow. And that’s how you really learn. Getting up after you fail or after you fall is something that they can carry through their life.”
“For me, I think it’s hard work and grit and following through. When you start something, finish it,” adds Lebenzon.
Spending time together has also allowed the family to reflect on what the word “family” really means to them.
“Family is the people you can lean on and count on and always having someone there for you,” says Ortiz. “It’s support and unconditional love.”
“Your family is always there for you, even if no one else is,” adds Paloma.
“Unconditional support is what it means to me,” chimes in Lebenzon. “Ana has taught me a lot about that. She has a way of creating family wherever she goes. And that is a talent!”
For Raf, “I don’t have friends, I have family,” he says, deepening his voice.
“Oh, he’s doing Vin Diesel now. When he starts quotingFast and Furious, it a wrap!” says Ortiz with a laugh.
For more from Ana Ortiz and her family, pick up the Family Issue of PEOPLE,on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.
source: people.com
