‘Big Brother’ Romance: Matt and Makensy Cheer on Tucker and Rubina

The reality series “Big Brother” is usually about forming the best alliances and winning competitions, but sometimes love blossoms during the challenging summer. Following their time in the house Matt Hardeman and Makensy Manbeck, who met and fell for one another on-screen have recently shown their support for fellow contestants Tucker Des Lauriers and Rubina Bernabe who began a showmance within the house and have since begun a real relationship outside the game.

A Long-Distance Love Story

Speaking with US Weekly, in an exclusive interview, Makensy couldn’t hide her excitement when talking about Tucker and Rubina. She sees them as “perfect for each other,” highlighting how their personalities complement one another. She even drew parallels to her own relationship with Matt, saying, “They, just like us, found their person on ‘Big Brother’.” It’s clear that Makensy believes in the power of finding love in unexpected places — even under the glare of cameras and competition.

The lovebirds face the challenge of navigating a long-distance relationship, with Tucker and Rubina separated by the vast expanse of the country. Makensy knows the struggle all too well, having made her own cross-country commitment to Matt, who lives in Texas. She empathizes with the coast-to-coast hurdle Tucker and Rubina face, joking that the long-distance from Texas to Atlanta already feels hard enough, and she can’t imagine it from New York to California. Still, her best wishes are with the couple as they continue to make their connection work.

From Showmance to Real Romance

For Matt and Makensy, their relationship also started in the “Big Brother” house, but it wasn’t always a smooth ride. When Matt was evicted early on, he wasn’t sure what the future held for him and Makensy. But after nearly 80 days without contact, fate (or perhaps a mutual love of reality TV) brought them back together. They kept things private at first, but by December 2024, the couple went Instagram official. They’ve since become one of the show’s most adored real-life couples.

Matt shared his respect for Tucker and Rubina’s relationship, especially since they openly embraced the “showmance” label from the get-go. He recognizes how difficult it can be to build a relationship under the public eye and with the pressure of “Big Brother” fame. As someone who has navigated a similar path in the spotlight, Matt has nothing but admiration for the couple.

Despite not spending much time with Rubina after the show, Matt formed a connection with Tucker. Both were eliminated before the jury phase, and their shared experience bonded them. In their interview, Matt calls Tucker “a standup guy” and wishes him and Rubina the best.

While the challenges of long-distance love are undeniable, Matt and Makensy are living proof that it’s worth the effort. With their support and good vibes, it seems like Tucker and Rubina’s relationship is off to a strong start. Fans of “Big Brother” can stay tuned to CBS for all the recent updates and to discover which couple might form next season.