TORONTO -- The actor who played the role as the husband in a controversial Peloton holiday ad gifted his real-life girlfriend a Peloton bike for Christmas.
“Here’s hoping this goes over better the second time,” B.C. actor Sean Hunter said in an Instagram post. The post shows Hunter and his girlfriend, Cassidy Baras, with the indoor exercise bike.
“Merry Christmas to my actual girlfriend (please don’t leave me),” the post states.
Hunter’s tongue-in-cheek caption refers to the now pulled holiday commercial that brought him fame. The commercial was slammed by critics for being sexist and peddling negative body image expectations for women.
Peloton later said critics misinterpreted its message.
The 30-second ad depicted a husband, played by Hunter, presenting his wife with the indoor bike as a Christmas present. The wife appears unsure and slightly unsettled throughout the majority of the ad where she documents her fitness routine.
In an interview with CTV Vancouver shortly after the ad went viral, Hunter said he was puzzled by how much negative attention the ad garnered, noting that he believed the ad was meant to target fitness-minded couples who support each other’s fitness goals.
“I think of my relationship with my girlfriend. I mean, we do fitness together. We’ve gone to the gym together and I think that would be an awesome present,” he said earlier this month.
Speaking to Storyful, Hunter said his girlfriend “mentioned that it would be awesome to have one,” referring to the Peloton bike.
“The lightbulb went on in my head and after looking at prices I knew it was the best choice,” he told Storyful.
