Kevin McHale and Former President Barack Obama.Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Melina Mara - Pool/Getty
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Melina Mara - Pool/Getty
Kevin McHaleonce went all the way to The White House to get some answers.While looking back on a season 5 episode ofGleeon hisAnd That’s What You REALLY Missed on Gleepodcast, the series alum, 36, recalled the moment he learned his then-boyfriend Marco Esposito would be allowed to return to the United States after living in Brazil for nearly three years.“I was dating someone at the time, Marco, and he was stuck in Brazil,” he began, adding that the cast was taking a short break while the crew set up for another shot. “He had been gone, at this point, two and a half years. His mom, his brother lived in the U.S. … And I get an email from his mom being like, ‘Am I reading this correctly? Did he just get approved to come back into the U.S.?'“Kevin McHale and his ex-boyfriend Marcos Espositio.Kevin McHale/InstagramThe decision was long-awaited for McHale and his now-ex’s family members. When Esposito first “got stuck” in Brazil for nearly three years, the actor recalled “bawling” and executive producerBrad Falchuckallowed him to leave filming to be with him.“I talked to her on the phone. I’m like reading the email and it was a sentence,” he said of the letter. “After all this time, like, you don’t know the amount of things [I had done]. I literally was at The White House one time.“McHale’s co-hostJenna Ushkowitzalso recalled chasing down “anybody” who would listen to his case, and the two even visited the consulate in France for guidance.“I talked to[former President] Obama’s head of immigration policy about this. And she’s like, ‘Legally, I cannot help you.’ I was like, ‘Okay. Respect,'” McHale continued, laughing, “I tried everything.“Kevin McHale on ‘Glee’.FOXWhen he received the news, the actor recalled celebrating with his costars on set. Ushkowitz started “screaming” and everyone was “happy” and “so excited” about the update in Esposito’s case. Eventually, it was time for the cast to return to set to performNeil Diamond’s “America.““I went so hard. There’s some shots where I’m like going really hard,” he recalled, feeling inspired and pumped for the number. “Because it was so odd of all these things lined up that — like song we’re singing. It’s the song I did not really know or none of us really liked.“While McHale and Esposito are no longer romantically involved, the duo still appear on each other social media posts and have remained friends. McHale has been datingAustin P. McKenziesince 2016.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In a conversation with PEOPLE in September 2022, McHale confessed the two had no plans to “get married or have kids” despite being in a committed long-term relationship.“Every now and again, it seeps in. Everyone’s getting married around us and I’d be like, ‘Oh, that would be fun….’ And maybe we would one day,” he explained. “But we’re just in such a good place, it’s kind of like, if it ain’t broke — I don’t really see the point for myself.”
Kevin McHaleonce went all the way to The White House to get some answers.
While looking back on a season 5 episode ofGleeon hisAnd That’s What You REALLY Missed on Gleepodcast, the series alum, 36, recalled the moment he learned his then-boyfriend Marco Esposito would be allowed to return to the United States after living in Brazil for nearly three years.
“I was dating someone at the time, Marco, and he was stuck in Brazil,” he began, adding that the cast was taking a short break while the crew set up for another shot. “He had been gone, at this point, two and a half years. His mom, his brother lived in the U.S. … And I get an email from his mom being like, ‘Am I reading this correctly? Did he just get approved to come back into the U.S.?'”
Kevin McHale and his ex-boyfriend Marcos Espositio.Kevin McHale/Instagram
Kevin McHale/Instagram
The decision was long-awaited for McHale and his now-ex’s family members. When Esposito first “got stuck” in Brazil for nearly three years, the actor recalled “bawling” and executive producerBrad Falchuckallowed him to leave filming to be with him.“I talked to her on the phone. I’m like reading the email and it was a sentence,” he said of the letter. “After all this time, like, you don’t know the amount of things [I had done]. I literally was at The White House one time.”
McHale’s co-hostJenna Ushkowitzalso recalled chasing down “anybody” who would listen to his case, and the two even visited the consulate in France for guidance.“I talked to[former President] Obama’s head of immigration policy about this. And she’s like, ‘Legally, I cannot help you.’ I was like, ‘Okay. Respect,'” McHale continued, laughing, “I tried everything.”
Kevin McHale on ‘Glee’.FOX
When he received the news, the actor recalled celebrating with his costars on set. Ushkowitz started “screaming” and everyone was “happy” and “so excited” about the update in Esposito’s case. Eventually, it was time for the cast to return to set to performNeil Diamond’s “America.““I went so hard. There’s some shots where I’m like going really hard,” he recalled, feeling inspired and pumped for the number. “Because it was so odd of all these things lined up that — like song we’re singing. It’s the song I did not really know or none of us really liked.”
While McHale and Esposito are no longer romantically involved, the duo still appear on each other social media posts and have remained friends. McHale has been datingAustin P. McKenziesince 2016.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In a conversation with PEOPLE in September 2022, McHale confessed the two had no plans to “get married or have kids” despite being in a committed long-term relationship.
“Every now and again, it seeps in. Everyone’s getting married around us and I’d be like, ‘Oh, that would be fun….’ And maybe we would one day,” he explained. “But we’re just in such a good place, it’s kind of like, if it ain’t broke — I don’t really see the point for myself.”
source: people.com