The drama isn’t over. Below Deck Sailing Yacht‘s Dani Soares Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux‘s relationship and paternity woes may have publicly wrapped up — but their former boss Captain Glenn ShephardHe shared his thoughts on the coparents and ex-exes.
“I know that [Jean-Luc]has some involvement now [his and Dani’s] baby. I heard that he’s setting up a college fund and that he talks to her regularly on zoom because they’re far apart,” Shephard exclusively told Us WeeklyMonday, May 16, 2016, at the NBCUniversal Upfront “[Dani is]His boat is in America, and he is now in Australia. He has to keep working obviously and I don’t think he can go to Australia and start a job.”
Glenn Shephard and Dani Soares with Jean-Luc CerzaLanaux NBC (3)
The captain noted that most of the details came from secondhand information, adding, “I was asking someone what’s his involvement because it’s been a while. Personally, I believe he should do more. But I don’t know all the details. I’m not that close with them so I can’t really speak to it.”
When Cerza-Lanaux and Soares joined season 2, Bravo’s hit series, they formed an onscreen connection. Shortly after the finale of the season, viewers were able to see that Cerza-Lanaux was pregnant. Soares claimed that her ex-costar was the father during the reunion.
“Let’s put it this way, This baby was made during the season while we had cameras 24/7 with us and I only slept with one guy,” she said in June 2021. “He hasn’t supported me at all in any way. He thinks it is not his child and he doesn’t want to have anything to do with it.”
Cerza-Lanaux for his part explained in a separate reunion interview that he wanted a DNA testing to confirm his paternity. “I want to be there for you,” he explained while recording a message for his ex. “Though you may not want anything to do with me because of me asking you for a paternity test, that’s something that I can get over. But what I can’t get over if this is my child is not being there for her.”
The deckhand said that he wanted Soares to help him. “Dani, what we had on the show for me was real. I don’t care what anybody says, even now that we’re going through what we are going through. What I felt for and the time that was shared with you was genuine. Everything that I ever said to you was true,” he continued while getting visually emotional. “The fact that we are at where we are now, I am really sorry and I would assume to say that most of it is my fault.”
Cerza-Lanaux confirmed that Soares’ baby girl was his seven months after he welcomed him. “I’m happy and proud to say sweet and beautiful Lilly Rose is my daughter,” he wrote via Instagram in January. “Dani and I have been working and communicating together to the best of our ability. This is vital [to work out] for the sake of our daughter as she needs both parents in her life.”
Soares stated that Soares was telling the truth at the time. Use in a statement that “actions speak louder than words” in response to Cerza-Lanaux’s post.
According to Shephard, his past experience with crew members hasn’t swayed his point of view on boatmances.
“It’s hard to manage because some boats don’t want to have anything to do with romance at all. I don’t think that’s realistic because it’s gonna go on anyway. They’re gonna hide it and stuff like that,” he told UseMonday. “As long as they’re discreet, especially [in front of]If the guests are comfortable in front of the crew, that’s great. But we don’t want any couples to bring their fights and issues into the crew mess because that really disturbs the vibe on the boat. As long as they deal with that correctly, then I’m kind of hands off until it gets out of hand.”
Below Deck Sailing YachtBravo Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Diana Cooper reports
