Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan Says ‘Father of the Bride' Kisses Were 1st Kisses With Another Man in 47 Years

"If I ever had to kiss anyone in a movie, I’m glad it was Andy because he made me feel comfortable," said Estefan

Gloria Estefan and Andy Garcia
TODAY

Gloria Estefan only has eyes for husband Emilio Estefan — and it's been that way ever since the couple fell in love.

The Grammy-winning singer and actor, 64, stopped by Studio 1A with her "Father of the Bride" co-star Andy Garcia, 66, on Thursday, where she opened up to TODAY's Hoda Kotb about how strange it was to kiss another man onscreen.

"First of all, we've been friends forever," Gloria Estefan said, motioning to Garcia. "But if I ever had to kiss anyone in a movie, I'm glad it was Andy because he made me feel comfortable."

The pair play Ingrid and Billy, a longtime couple considering divorce in the movie, a Cuban-American reimagining of the 1991 original.

And though she and Garcia have been close friends for decades, for Estefan, it was still awkward to smooch someone other than her husband.

"I shipped Emilio out of state. I wanted him out of the studio because I didn't want his energy anywhere near there," she said while laughing. "It was Ingrid kissing Billy. So, it's the character. But still, you know.

"He's the only man I've kissed after Emilio in 47 years!" she added of her co-star.

So, how was the kiss, Hoda wanted to know.

"Lovely," said Estefan. "It was a lovely kiss."

"It was a kiss out of respect for her, and for women, and for family, and for reunion," said Garcia. "That's what the kiss was about."

Garcia’s marriage is also one with legs: He and wife Marivi tied the knot in 1982 after dating for several years.

Before they became friends, Estefan and Garcia shared a funny musical connection in Miami.

To hear the co-stars tell it, they “met” when Garcia, an accomplished percussion, routinely crashed every performance of the Estefans’ Latin-pop band, the Miami Sound Machine.

“Well, they used to play every wedding and every party that we would go to, basically, in Miami,” said Garcia.

“We were a hot band,” Estefan chimed in.

The band capped off each performance with a conga tune, which Garcia took as his cue to join in, invited or not.

“You always finished the party with a conga line ... And this is before they wrote their (hit 1985 song) ‘Conga’ ... So I would crash and play,” explained the actor.

"He was in an out — and he was good!” Estefan recalled while laughing. “That’s why we didn’t stop him or kick him out.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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