Peloton husband gets real girlfriend a bike for Christmas

The actor who played the Peloton husband in the now-viral advertisement has decided that life should imitate art. Case in point: Sean Hunter gave his real life girlfriend a Peloton bike for Christmas. 

Per TMZ, Hunter said "Here's hoping this goes over better the second time ... Merry Christmas to my actual girlfriend (pls don't leave me)." And his partner, Cassidy Baras, sure seemed chuffed, but then again, so did his on-screen wife, Monica Ruiz. 

Watch the original commercial below: 

If you're unfamiliar with the controversial advert, a man gifts his already slim wife a Peloton exercise bike. She then documents her fitness journey - looking rather terrified throughout - with the bike, before thanking him for changing her life a year later through a vlog.

According to the publication, Hunter says that the commercial's backlash has negatively affected him, stating "My 5 seconds of air time created an array of malicious feedback that is all associated with my face."

During an interview with the Today show, however, Ruiz conceded that she may be partially to blame for the unsavoury reactions to the ad, as she sported a furrowed "worried" brow and a "scared" expression.

But, it hasn't all been bad news for Ruiz, as she's since landed a guest role in television soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

Watch as the Peloton "wife" reacts to viral infamy: 

Regardless, she hopes that she won't forever be known as "the Peloton lady" and be able to "work other [acting] jobs".