Below Deck Sailing Yacht’s Jean-Luc Gets Emotional And Apologizes to Dani During Reunion Interview: ‘We Can Coparent Together’

Credit: Courtesy of Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux; Courtesy of Dani Soares/Instagram

Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Jean-Luc Gets Emotional And Apologizes to Dani During Reunion Interview: 'We Can Coparent Together'

Not holding back. Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux made an individual appearance during part two of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht reunion — and he finally got extremely honest about Dani Soares' pregnancy and even passed along an emotional message to her. "Dani, what we had on the show for me was real. I don't care what anybody says, even now that we're going through what we are going through. What I felt for you, and the time that we had, was genuine. Everything that I ever said to you was true," Jean-Luc said to the camera at the end of the reunion on Tuesday, June 22. He added: "I need you to know that I did support your decision and still do. I really hope that we can coparent together and have respect for one another like we did." The deckhand admitted after watching a clip of Dani on the first part of the reunion, which he couldn't join, that "most" of what she said about their situation was correct. Still, Jean-Luc wanted to explain his side of the story. "There was talk of a DNA test. We've gone as far as me trying to reach out to her doctor's office. I don't think lawyers need to get involved. That is not the avenue I want to go," Jean-Luc told host Andy Cohen. Even though Jean-Luc felt like he was warranted in wanting to check the child's paternity, he could still see why it was difficult for Dani to hear. [jwplayer qlO5wIXo-l3ahXupL] "I understand why she took it poorly because in her mind I might be the only person she's ever been with," he clarified. "If that's the case, I told her, I really do apologize, but for my peace of mind I just wanted to know." Since the reunion was recorded, Dani welcomed her daughter, Lilly, in May. “She is here. She is perfect. And we trying to figure this thing out. We both healthy and happy. Thank you for all the support. Will post more once mummy had some rest,” Dani captioned a photo of her holding her baby's hand via Instagram. Although Jean-Luc explained that he wanted to fix things before the baby arrived, he recently admitted on social media that he found out about the birth just like everyone else. "I learned of the baby’s birth, not the pregnancy, on IG," he said in a post via Instagram on Sunday, June 20. "Why am I sharing on Insta? Because it's the only way I have to set the record straight about me not wanting to be involved if the baby is mine. I absolutely do." Dani addressed Jean-Luc's public comments by showing social media what is most important to her right now. “Add motivational quote here,” the former stew captioned a previous pregnancy pic via Instagram on Monday, June 21. "Just over here keeping the focus on this little life that I'm responsible for." Scroll on to read more of what Jean-Luc had to say during his one-on-one conversation: [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux; Courtesy of Dani Soares/Instagram

Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Jean-Luc Gets Emotional And Apologizes to Dani During Reunion Interview: 'We Can Coparent Together'

Not holding back. Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux made an individual appearance during part two of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht reunion — and he finally got extremely honest about Dani Soares' pregnancy and even passed along an emotional message to her. "Dani, what we had on the show for me was real. I don't care what anybody says, even now that we're going through what we are going through. What I felt for you, and the time that we had, was genuine. Everything that I ever said to you was true," Jean-Luc said to the camera at the end of the reunion on Tuesday, June 22. He added: "I need you to know that I did support your decision and still do. I really hope that we can coparent together and have respect for one another like we did." The deckhand admitted after watching a clip of Dani on the first part of the reunion, which he couldn't join, that "most" of what she said about their situation was correct. Still, Jean-Luc wanted to explain his side of the story. "There was talk of a DNA test. We've gone as far as me trying to reach out to her doctor's office. I don't think lawyers need to get involved. That is not the avenue I want to go," Jean-Luc told host Andy Cohen. Even though Jean-Luc felt like he was warranted in wanting to check the child's paternity, he could still see why it was difficult for Dani to hear. [jwplayer qlO5wIXo-l3ahXupL] "I understand why she took it poorly because in her mind I might be the only person she's ever been with," he clarified. "If that's the case, I told her, I really do apologize, but for my peace of mind I just wanted to know." Since the reunion was recorded, Dani welcomed her daughter, Lilly, in May. “She is here. She is perfect. And we trying to figure this thing out. We both healthy and happy. Thank you for all the support. Will post more once mummy had some rest,” Dani captioned a photo of her holding her baby's hand via Instagram. Although Jean-Luc explained that he wanted to fix things before the baby arrived, he recently admitted on social media that he found out about the birth just like everyone else. "I learned of the baby’s birth, not the pregnancy, on IG," he said in a post via Instagram on Sunday, June 20. "Why am I sharing on Insta? Because it's the only way I have to set the record straight about me not wanting to be involved if the baby is mine. I absolutely do." Dani addressed Jean-Luc's public comments by showing social media what is most important to her right now. “Add motivational quote here,” the former stew captioned a previous pregnancy pic via Instagram on Monday, June 21. "Just over here keeping the focus on this little life that I'm responsible for." Scroll on to read more of what Jean-Luc had to say during his one-on-one conversation: [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux/Instagram

Asked for a Paternity Test

"I asked for a paternity test and essentially that turned into a lot of backlash. Her not wanting to have anything to do with me," Jean-Luc said. "But for me, as a 24-year-old at the time, with not much experience in a relationship and a woman telling me that she's pregnant ... I feel like that's a very understandable question to ask."

Earlier on in the episode, Dani confirmed that the deckhand had asked for a DNA test and that she was willing to do it if he paid for it. While he initially agreed, Dani explained that by December 2020, Jean-Luc had seemed to change his mind about being around at all.

Credit: Courtesy of Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux/Instagram; Courtesy of Dani Soares/Instagram

Wants To Be There For His Child

"The fact that people are telling me that I want nothing to do with this child, it's really tearing me up," Jean-Luc revealed about the online reaction to the situation so far. "All my friends and all my family know the type of person that I am and know that I want everything to do with that child, if it is mine."

The Bravo personality said that he wanted to be as present as possible in the child's life and that it was "f--king killing" him that he hadn't been so far.

"I really want me and Dani to work together on this. But she told me that if this was my child, she would never throw dirt on my name to our child," he shared. "I wanna be there for the birth, as much as Dani probably doesn't want me there. I was told a date, and I've been counting down the days until I hear something."

Credit: Courtesy of Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux/Instagram

Discussed His Mother's Comments

Dani spoke about how the lack of contact between her and Jean-Luc extended to his family as well, specifically after his mother left an offensive comment about her.

"Gross is a woman who uses a man because she's so desperate to be a mom," Dani recalled reading about herself on social media.

But Jean-Luc clarified that his mother said that "out of anger," and that he has confronted her about it since.

"I didn't agree with it. I told her to take it down. I didn't like for things to be said in terms of Dani that way, and I hope she wouldn't have liked for things said about me in regards to that way," he told Cohen, 53, during his individual conversation later in the reunion.

Credit: Laurent Basset/Bravo (2)

Apologizes to Dani

The Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host offered Jean-Luc a chance to say something directly to Dani at the end of his interview, and he took the chance to try to mend things between them.

"The fact that we are at where we are now, I am really sorry and I would assume to say that most of it is my fault," Jean-Luc admitted. "Maybe it's because I am the boy that you think that I am. With that being said, I want to be there for you."

He added: "Though you may not want anything to do with me because of me asking you for a paternity test, that's something that I can get over. But what I can't get over if this is my child is not being there for her."

Credit: Courtesy Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux/Instagram

Asked to Replay Dani's Thoughts

Before Jean-Luc left a message for his ex, he asked Cohen to play back the sections of the reunion where Dani, Gary King and Alli Dore expressed their thoughts on the complicated situation.

Jean-Luc struggled to make it through both viewings and got emotional the second time around.

Credit: Courtesy Dani Soares/Instagram; Courtesy Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux/Instagram

Thought About Taking the First Step and Moving to Australia

"I haven't told Dani this but I have thought about moving to Australia. There's been a lot of scenarios running through my mind in the past eight months. I've thought about every possible avenue. I haven't come up with one yet," Jean-Luc explained during part two of the reunion.

Credit: Courtesy of Dani Soares/Instagram

Update Since the Finale

Even though Jean-Luc was encouraged to fix things with Dani before she gave birth, the end of the reunion episode revealed that the pair have not yet spoken.

Following the taping of his interview, Jean-Luc revealed on Instagram that on June 20 he received a message from his ex on WhatsApp. This is the first time the former costars have seemingly been in contact since she blocked him in December 2020.