Who Is Cameron Mathison's Real-Life Wife, Vanessa Arevalo Mathison?

Cameron Mathison has been acting for decades, having snagged his first low-profile gigs in 1997 and 1998, but it was his time playing Ryan Lavery on "All My Children" that made his career really take off. Throughout his time on "AMC," from 1998 to 2011, Mathison's Lavery was quite the heartthrob. By the time he bid his final farewell to "AMC," his character had been in a number of high-profile Pine Valley romances. In real life, however, Mathison's love life has been far less chaotic and dramatic. He is married to Vanessa Arevalo Mathison and has been for many years.

The actor first met his future wife in a New York City gym in 1998. They did not start dating right away, but once things got romantic, they were inseparable. Cameron and Vanessa got married in 2002 and have raised two children, Lucas and Leila, together. For Vanessa's birthday in April 2022, Cameron took to Instagram to gush over his wife. "You are my best friend, spiritual partner, ultimate travel companion, love of my life, and the most incredible mom to our kids I could ever imagine," he wrote. There is, however, plenty more to know about her.

Vanessa Arevalo Mathison was born in Puerto Rico, and she lived there through high school. Her Instagram bio reveals she has both Mexican and Filipino heritage, and in June 2017, she added a reference to her Spanish heritage in an Instagram post. "Finally visited the medieval town where my ancestors are from – Arevalo, Spain (my maiden name is Arevalo)," she wrote. Vanessa added that she'd been able to verify her family's coat of arms via local documents, and noted she wished her father could have been there with her.

In general, Vanessa has been quite private about her background and childhood. Her father was reportedly a construction worker and her mother was a supermarket cashier. She was noticed by a modeling scout while she was still in high school and she went on to have a successful modeling career. She ultimately moved to New York City for modeling and did shoots in exotic locations such as Bora Bora at times. Modeling was Vanessa's career for nearly two decades, but she stepped away from it once she built her family with Cameron. "I haven't modeled since I got pregnant with Leila, so it's been just over two years. No plans to go back," Vanessa told People in 2008. Cameron and Vanessa welcomed their son, Lucas, in 2003 and then Leila in 2006.

The decision to stop modeling left Vanessa Arevalo Mathison struggling for a while, though. "I think I went through a bit of an identity crisis." While modeling, she "was completely independent and self-sufficient and traveled around the world. And in a minute I was a stay-at-home mom." It took her a while to adjust, she recalled, but once she did, it was "the greatest and most rewarding thing."

A couple of years after having Leila, Vanessa embraced a new business opportunity. She connected with a woman named Niccole Kroll, who had launched a boutique children's clothing line, and the women decided to expand it. "Within four months, we went from selling in five local stores here in Manhattan to over 150 across the United States," Vanessa told People of KEA + JOBY. While the women had quick success with the brand, Kroll's LinkedIn page noted they "soon had competition from established brands who saw the same market potential." 

The clothing line has since folded, and in March 2018, Vanessa indicated she was doing some modeling again. Now that Cameron and Vanessa's kids are older, she is making the most of the opportunity to model, pursue photography, travel extensively, learn to play the bass guitar, embrace her gray hair, and pursue her passions. After three months of learning to play bass, Vanessa noted on Instagram she was "geeking out on music these days" and she pointed out, "It's never too late to pursue your dream."