‘Married at First Sight’ EXCLUSIVE Q&A: Amelia Opens Up About Gender Roles, What Surprised Her About Bennett, and Why She Applied for the Show

Amelia Fatsi, a 27-year-old MD about to start her clinical residency at the time of filming, and Bennett Kirschner, a 28-year-old playwright and theatre director, seemed like the ultimate perfect match to many fans of Lifetime’s Married at First Sight season 11. Although they were met with challenges like every other Married at First Sight couple, Amelia and Bennett were often praised by fans for their vulnerability, authenticity, and free-spirited openness.

Amelia opened up to Showbiz Cheat Sheet in an exclusive interview about her experiences on Married at First Sight, from how she felt about Bennett as he walked down the aisle to what she would have changed about her wedding dress.

The application and filming process

Q: What made you decide to get married at first sight?

I was just looking for something interesting to do in the time I had off before starting my job…kind of like a strange sabbatical in my medical career. I didn’t particularly want to get married; I just thought it would be fun to be on a reality show! So I certainly did it for the wrong reasons, but it was a very, very interesting adventure, and I had a total blast.

Q: Was there anything about the casting process that you didn’t expect?

I didn’t expect all the private investigators and psychology screenings that occurred before the cast was chosen!

Q: How did you feel going into your wedding day?

I felt like this was probably definitely going to be the strangest, most absurd day of my entire life, and I was filled with adrenaline.

Q: What was it like to get to know and connect with the other castmates?

The other folks from the cast are lovely! It’s interesting how we’re all these seemingly one-dimensional characters, out in the world to be scrutinized by anyone with a television. On the one hand, I guess it’s exactly what we signed up for, and on the other hand, it could sometimes just be a real bummer to watch our group of awesome people be seen in a negative light.

Q: Is there anything the experts told you that really resonated with you?

I really liked the way Dr. Viviana talked about communication. She really emphasizes asking your partner for what you need rather than expecting him/her to anticipate everything. I bet she is a great couples’ counselor when she’s not busy being a famous celebrity MAFS expert!

Fan misconceptions

Q: What do you wish you’d done differently in the process?

I think I would have tried to get a live bird to nest in my hair on our wedding day. Of course I wouldn’t have wanted it to be pinned in permanently, but if it could come and go naturally and just know that it had a safe spot to nest atop my head, I would have really felt bedazzled for the big moment.

Q: What do you wish viewers knew about you that they might not? Are there any misconceptions that fans have about you?

I would like everyone to know that I am not opposed to doing chores! While I do believe it’s fun and useful to mix up traditional gender roles in many ways, chores blow and should certainly be divided equally! Furthermore, sometimes I even enjoy chores: for instance, when my hands are cold and I can warm them up in hot soapy dish water, or when I’m listening to a groovy album and having a boogie while mopping the floor.

Quarantining with Bennett

Q: What did you notice first about Bennett?

I noticed his hair was longer and more luscious than how I had remembered it.

Q: What surprised you the most about Bennett across the eight weeks?

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed being stuck with him once the quarantine started. Bennett is really good at entertaining himself and being productive even during bleak and boring times, and that’s something that I really admire about him.

Q: What was your biggest challenge during the eight weeks?

I really didn’t like having the cameras in our house on all the time.

Bennett said it well one day when he said, “I just feel like it would be humane to give the cast a couple minutes a day where they could fart or scratch their butt.”