Perry D'Marco and Merri Christi Pemberton became engaged New Year's Day 2024.
Perry D'Marco (Miguel Corteza) grew up tending his family's farm including horses. The Corteza horses are often featured to celebrate D'Marco's roots.
The Corteza matriarch, Monica Corteza, and the actress who portrays her (Merri Christi Pemberton) were both granddaughters of black sharecroppers.
Corteza Gold is based on a short novel written by Pemberton under the working title Corteza Estates. The story originally had Miguel as Caribbean and one of three siblings with a younger brother and sister.
