Who Is Hallmark Star Roselyn Sanchez's Famous Ex-Husband Gary Stretch?

Roselyn Sanchez may have been married to Eric Winter since 2008, but he's not the only man she's ever loved or even said "I do" to. Before settling down with her husband, Sanchez — the star of "Devious Maids" and "Without a Trace" — was previously married to Gary Stretch for a little over two years. Like Sanchez and Winter, Stretch is a famous actor who has worked on a string of films including "Final Combat," "The Heavy," and "Alexander." For his role in the psychological thriller "Dead Man's Shoes," Stretch was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2004. He began his career as a professional boxer at age 16, only to retire in his late 20s, after which Stretch discovered his love of acting. 

In an interview with Boxing News, Stretch confessed that he never would've imagined himself pursuing a career in the arts. "The fascination was not so much to be an actor because, to be honest, the little fame I had, I didn't like," he admitted. "The only good thing about being famous is getting a table in a restaurant, That's about as good as it gets for me. [...] And so I wasn't searching for that. I was just looking to grow." Since then, the retired boxer has also branched out into other fields including screenwriting and producing. He is credited as the writer and director of Ronda Rousey's 2016 documentary "Through My Father's Eyes" and is said to currently be working on a new film about Mexican boxer Carlos Palomino as of this writing.

Although the exact timeline of their relationship is unclear, Roselyn Sanchez reportedly married Gary Stretch in 1998, when she was 25 years old. They divorced in 2001, after which the former Miss America Petite started dating fellow Puerto Rican singer Victor Manuelle. She and Manuelle had been together for two years when they announced their split in 2005, citing long distance as the catalyst for their breakup, per People en Español. For his part, Stretch has also been romantically linked to plenty of other famous women, including singer Kylie Minogue and Raquel Welch, whose heartbreaking death rocked the entertainment world in 2023. He and Welch sparked dating rumors in 1996 after being spotted getting cozy at a party, although Stretch insisted that it was nothing romantic. 

"We studied in the same acting school, and she's a friend," he clarified in a piece for The Guardian. In that same article, Stretch seemingly opened up somewhat about his marriage to Sanchez and how their eventual divorce changed his views on relationships. "I've only been in love once in my life, and I wasn't happy then," he confessed. "Love can be traumatic. I think I'm better off on my own." However, the actor did find love again in producer Yin Tze Liew, with whom he worked on the Ronda Rousey documentary. The former boxing pro took to Instagram in 2021 to share a picture of Liew captioned "LOML," which is short for "love of my life."

Roselyn Sanchez was fresh off her breakup from Victor Manuelle when she met her current husband Eric Winter in 2005. The two reportedly crossed paths one fateful evening in Los Angeles, California, but it wasn't until months later that they really got to know each other and fell in love. In 2007, after two years of dating, Winter popped the question to Sanchez during a romantic getaway in her native Puerto Rico. They tied the knot in November 2008 and went on to welcome two kids; Sebella Rose, who was born in 2012, and Dylan Gabriel, who followed in 2017. Sanchez and Winter have worked together on several artistic projects throughout the years, including writing a children's book and diving into podcasting together with "He Said, Ella Dijo." 

They also shared the screen in the Hallmark Channel's "A Taste of Summer" in 2019, playing love interests Gabby and Caleb. While speaking with Hola! in 2021, Sanchez couldn't help but gush about her husband. "He has always respected and supported me. He's not the typical man that makes you choose between him or your career. He doesn't like it, but he puts up with it," she proudly confirmed. "I have to admit that he works on this relationship more than I do. If I'm honest, he's much more romantic and aware of things than I am." Not only is Winter sweet and supportive, but he's also a wonderful father to their children, as the "Gringa" artist was quick to note. "It's marvelous," she said. "He's also incredibly kind, he has many beautiful qualities."