Marciano Brunette of Vanderpump Villa: Key Details Following the Jessi Affair

Marciano Brunette has not only created chaos on Vanderpump Villa — he is now also entangled in a scandal involving Jessi Ngatikaura on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

When Hulu first introduced Us to Marciano, his main concern was figuring out whether he was still with or had split from Hannah Fouch during their first season on Vanderpump Villa.

“Going into filming our show, I knew exactly what I was going to do,” he told Us Weekly exclusively in May 2024. “I understood my role and it became a matter of differentiating from that persona when not on camera.”

After numerous heated arguments and uncertainty in their relationship, the couple returned for season 2, where things turned complicated. Marciano was single at the time when guests from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, including Demi Engemann, Jen Affleck, Jessi, Layla Taylor, and Mikayla Matthews, appeared in the season that premiered in April 2025.

It wasn’t long before Marciano developed feelings for Demi, who is married to Bret Engemann. While there was no on-screen connection between them, Marciano leaned into the rumors regarding potential off-camera interactions. Demi has, however, denied any romantic link with Marciano.

The storyline grew more intricate a month later when Marciano made an unexpected appearance on season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, revealing that it was actually Jessi — who is married to Jordan Ngatikaura — with whom he had an affair when the cameras were off.

Initially, both Jessi and Jordan denied any wrongdoing, but she later acknowledged a two-month emotional affair. Yet, the burning question remains: who is Marciano, and how did he become so deeply involved in the drama of reality TV?

Fortunately, Us has been tracking Marciano’s timeless journey in reality television well before this crossover. Keep reading for insights into the man at the center of multiple affair allegations:

What Is Marciano’s Background Before Reality TV?

According to Hulu’s official description of Vanderpump Villa, Marciano boasted “nearly a decade of experience in high-end hospitality” prior to being recruited by Lisa to work at Château Rosabelle in France. He later returned for season 2, set in Castello Rosato, where he continued as a leading server.

“Marciano has worked in some of Las Vegas’s hottest day and nightclubs and restaurants, always utilizing his charm, good looks, and skills to climb to the top of his profession,” the press release further noted.

“Growing up in Las Vegas, I held jobs at all the prominent nightclubs. I easily adapted that experience to the restaurant industry,” Marciano explained during season 1, which aired in April 2024. “However, my workplace had to implement a no-dating policy among employees due to my history of relationships with numerous staff members.”

Why Was He Dubbed the New Jax Taylor?

Upon the premiere of Vanderpump Villa in April 2024, viewers quickly recognized that Marciano’s tumultuous romance with Hannah mirrored the complicated relationship between Jax and Stassi Schroeder in the earlier seasons of Vanderpump Rules in 2013.

“Working alongside an ex is something we both are familiar with because we do that in Las Vegas right now,” Marciano explained to Us at that time. “We have done that multiple times, regardless of our relationship status, so I wasn’t particularly concerned about it.”

Regarding the comparisons, he stated, “I see the similarity, but we aren’t at all like them. Honestly, I’ve said this before, but I’m a world away from Jax. I won’t disparage him, but I know Jax personally.”

What Is His Connection to ‘Vanderpump Rules’?

Apart from the evident relationship with Lisa, Marciano has also maintained a friendship with Scheana Shay and her husband, Brock Davies.

“I’m actually friends with Brock and Scheana [Shay],” he revealed to Us in March 2024. “I witnessed firsthand how they engage during filming and in their everyday lives.”

Viewers of Vanderpump Rules caught a brief glimpse of Marciano in a March 2024 episode, where he saw Brock confronting Katie Maloney over her relationship with Tom Schwartz’s close friend, Max Boyens. (Below Deck’s Dylan Pierre De Villiers was seated next to Katie before making a later debut on the other franchise.)

How Did the Affair Scandal Begin?

Although Marciano spent only two days with Demi on Vanderpump Villa, he left the experience quite infatuated. His Vanderpump Villa costars repeatedly questioned him about any potential hookups with the cast after filming ended.

Marciano didn’t dismiss the idea of a connection with Demi, which she immediately denied. He escalated matters further by asserting that Jessi was the one he had been with when the cameras weren’t around.

“We’ve attempted to meet up [to continue the affair],” he stated on season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. “Jordan isn’t aware of how extensive it was. It wasn’t simply a one-time encounter; it wasn’t a fleeting moment.”

While Marciano insisted the situation is “much larger” than people assume, Jessi’s spouse, Jordan, expressed skepticism regarding the rumors.

“This is about to make headlines. The truth eventually comes to light,” Jordan said, while Jessi held Demi responsible for inventing the claims. “He knows this situation is destroying my family and my life.”

Are There Any Other Hookups From Marciano’s Past That Fans Should Know About?

Although Marciano didn’t achieve his desires, the reality star allegedly made a pass at Lisa while she was still his superior.

“You described in exhaustive detail, in front of numerous witnesses, precisely what you wished to do to me and how you intended to go about it,” Lisa recounted during a May 2025 episode of Vanderpump Villa, emphasizing that Marciano was quite inebriated during the incident. “Do you not recall that? … I mentioned that I lacked the energy or time for any such endeavor.”

Marciano, on his part, appeared embarrassed that he could not remember the exchange.