Although they weren’t an item on the show, Natalie Lee and Sal Perez have sparked romance rumors thanks to flirty social media exchanges. Now, Natalie is setting the record straight about her ‘close’ bond with Sal.
Love Is Blindfans think a new romance may be brewing between co-stars Natalie Lee and Salvador Perez. The pair have engaged in some flirty exchanges on social media post-show, despite not pursuing each other while filming. Plus, Natalie’s ex Shayne Jansen was asked during an Instagram Story Q&A if the former couple “hate each other now” and he told the fan to “ask” Sal, whom he directly tagged.
With speculation running rampant about her relationship status, Natalie appeared on influencer Alyssa Amoroso‘s podcast Tea With Publyssity and candidly addressed the romance rumors regarding Sal.
“I’m close to Sal. I know there’s been speculation, ‘Are you and Sal dating?’ We are not,” she said in the March 10 interview. “We’re just really, really close friends. That friendship with him I really appreciate as well.” Natalie went on to commend Sal — who has split from his on-screen romantic partner Mallory Zapata since the show ended — for being “a very honest person.” “I feel like when I talk with him, what you see is what you get, if that makes sense?” she explained. “I also love his calm demeanor. I was like, ‘Wow, every time I talk to you, I just feel a bit better and a bit more calm.’ ”
The Netflix stars fueled dating speculation when Sal left a few cheeky comments on some of Natalie’s Instagram posts. In one instance, she posted a photo of herself in a stunning red dress on March 5, and Sal commented, “Casual Wednesday? … Pshh My goodness.” Shayne also hinted that the pair were now in a relationship following his split from Natalie due to his cryptic response in his IG Q&A.
Speaking of Shayne, Natalie confirmed in her Tea With Publyssity interview that she’s not open to getting back with her ex again.
“That door is shut for me,” Natalie said. “I’m glad we gave it a second shot. I think I would have had regrets if we didn’t. I will always have a soft spot for Shayne in my heart because we did go through this experience together. He was my partner through just everything.”
Want more? Season 2 of Love Is Blind is streaming now on Netflix.