There was a time not too long ago when, if you wanted to succeed in the TV or film business, you had to live in Los Angeles. But things have changed in recent years, and many industry insiders have chosen to move away from the City of Angels and settle down in towns that offer more space and a more relaxed pace.
Such was the case for Geraldine and Marty Belafsky. The young couple have successful careers in the entertainment industry—Geraldine is a two-time Emmy-nominated reality TV producer, and Marty is an actor-turned-data analyst for a large Hollywood studio—but the daily grind was stressful.
“Living in LA was really expensive, and we felt as though we were always hustling and working around the clock just to make ends meet,” Geraldine says. “We wanted to slow things down a bit. Then COVID hit and gave us the opportunity, a window in which we could finally go and work remote.”
It was a serendipitous moment for a couple whose own story feels as if it could be pulled straight from a Hollywood rom-com.
Born and raised in Miami, Geraldine was bit by the showbiz bug in college. She began volunteering at one of her university’s TV stations and worked her way up to director of the evening news.
“After I graduated, I moved to Los Angeles because I knew I wanted to work in television,” she says. “Live TV was my real passion.”
Her first job was as a production assistant covering the red carpet for awards shows, including the Grammys, Oscars, and Golden Globes. Within a couple years, she was working as a producer on such popular reality shows as Undercover Boss, Hell’s Kitchen, Dancing With the Stars, and the Food Network’s multiple Baking Championship series. In 2022, she received her first Emmy nomination for her work on the Kids Baking Championship, and she’s currently up for a second one for the show.
Native Angeleno Marty, on the other hand, started his acting career at 13, with commercials and small guest spots in TV shows like The Wonder Years. His big break came when he was cast as Crutchy in the 1992 cult classic musical Newsies.
He says of the experience, “I got that when I was 15, and it was absolutely amazing. I had the most wonderful time shooting it.”
Marty continued acting on and off into the early 2000s, with roles in movies such as Pearl Harbor, Evolution, and A Mighty Wind and TV shows, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Six Feet Under, and Boston Legal. He also began performing stand-up comedy, honing his craft at such renowned venues as The Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, and Hollywood Improv. He even opened for Rodney Dangerfield in Las Vegas.
“It was fun, but it was a lot more challenging for me in my 20s than it was when I was a kid,” he recalls. “As much as I enjoyed performing, I was ready for more stability and to have a family.”
As fate would have it, his role as Crutchy had one more surprise in store for him.
“Newsies was one of my favorite movies,” Geraldine says. “One day, I was talking to a friend, and I mentioned that to her. She said, ‘Oh my gosh, you have to meet Marty Belafsky.’ Of course I knew who he was. I was so excited that I texted all my friends and said, ‘I’m going on a date with a Newsie!’
“We met up, and like they say in the movies, the rest is history. I think we both say this all the time: It was very different from every other first date either of us ever had. We just clicked instantly.”
The couple celebrates their 10th anniversary in May. It will be their fourth since moving to Arizona.
“We were able to find a nice little community that really fit our family,” Geraldine says. “There are lots of young kids in the neighborhood and a new elementary school, which was really appealing.”
The couple have two daughters, ages 6 and 8.
The family now fills their days with school activities, traveling to cheer competitions, relaxing in their community’s many parks, and exploring all that the Valley has to offer.
“We love to go out to eat at places that have great patios,” Geraldine says. “Isabella’s Kitchen is a favorite because it has that big open field where the kids can play. We’re also getting to know other parts of the state. We went to Sedona for the first time last summer, and we’re dying to go back. Arizona has been so wonderful and welcoming. We’ve made some great friends and created our own little village.
“We still go to LA quite a bit for work and to see family,” she adds. “But we love coming back to Phoenix. This is our quiet, happy place.”