He was a 19-year-old delinquent graffiti artist with a questionable fashion sense and an eye for a certain 1968 Pontiac GTO, and she was the new corset-clad coroner at a Victorian-era morgue. Although that may be how most people know Mark O’Brien and Georgina Reilly (from their respective CBC television shows, Republic of Doyle and Murdoch Mysteries), their real-life relationship actually started on set. Lights, camera, action. This is how they met.
How they met
Georgina: We met at the Duke Pub in St. John's Newfoundland when I was doing a guest star on Republic of Doyle.
Mark: She’d had a “few,” which helped her laugh at my “jokes.”
The first date
Georgina: Our first date was Jan. 11, 2011, in Toronto at an Italian restaurant called Bravi.
Mark: Georgina decided to ask me everything I liked and disliked in relationships, and I did the same. The list wasn't short by any means.
Georgina: It was fun! [It was] like 21 questions, and now I don’t have to guess if he doesn’t like something. I just know!
The courtship
Mark: Like any relationship, there are so many memorable moments. Our first date. [Our] first trip together. But I guess the most memorable was when I proposed to her. It was funny and loving and kind of encapsulated our entire relationship.
Georgina: I love the word “courtship.” I enjoy all those first moments with someone that are awkward and sweet.
The proposal
Georgina: It was New Year’s Eve in New York City, [and we were] in our hotel room. We were both trying to surprise each other at the same time — me with lingerie, him with a ring. It was a very confusing, sweet, comical and perfect proposal.
Mark: I was freaking out.
The marriage
Georgina: We were married Jan. 6, 2013, at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. Our honeymoon was in Europe. [We went to] London, Paris, Venice and Rome.
Where they live now
Georgina: We have lived in Cabbagetown, Toronto, for two and a half years, and [we] love it!
Their lives now
Georgina: I love life right now. We met at the perfect time in our lives, and we are getting to go through similar experiences together career-wise. I love being able to attend all CBC events together.
Mark: Georgina’s show is set in Toronto, and mine is set in Newfoundland. Therefore, we spend about six months of the year in different provinces. It’s hard but also makes seeing each other very exciting. We always try and see each other at least every three weeks during that six-month span, and when we do, it’s amazing.
Their shared goals
Mark: We want to have kids for sure. We also want to do inspiring work that interests us and keeps us motivated. We both never stop working. And we're never short of things to talk about.
Relationship advice
Mark: Relationships are about compromise. When Georgina wants to do something, and I don't really feel like it, I just do it anyway. It makes her happy, which is most important. Plus, then I get to watch hockey.
