‘Below Deck Sailing Yacht’: Dani Sets The Paternity Rumors Straight

Dani Soares of Below Deck Sailing Yacht opened up about Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux and her daughter’s paternity. In late May, Dani announced that she gave birth to her daughter, Lilly. She has not revealed her baby’s paternity. Over the weekend, Jean-Luc caused drama when he broke his silence on Instagram.

In his post, he claimed he didn’t know the baby’s father. However, Below Deck cast and crew members took to the post to slam the yachtie. They argued that he should step up and become the father of Dani’s child. Neither Dani nor Jean-Luc have confirmed these rumors.

In a new interview, Dani spoke out about the baby’s father.

Did Dani Soares confirm that Jean-Luc is the father?

In a new interview with ET Online, Dani talked about motherhood. She admitted that it’s been “hard.” The former yachtie is raising her baby in Sydney, Australia. Dani has since retired from working as a stewardess. While motherhood is hard, she credits her little bundle of joy for bringing meaning into her life.

Dani also teased that the baby’s father will be addressed during the two-part Below Deck Sailing Yacht reunion. There will also be special episodes of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen coming this week. Fans were shocked when they found out that Dani was pregnant. They immediately came to the conclusion that Jean-Luc was the baby’s father since the two hook-up during the show’s Season 2 run.

“Yes, we’ll talk about that there,” Dani simply said. She revealed that she and Jean-Luc don’t appear together during the virtual reunion episode. The deckhand filmed on another day from the rest of the cast. Dani admits that his disappearance was “disappointing.”

“It’s just me talking — and I’m not confirming or denying anything — but his name is out there and there is a discussion and all that,” Dani explained. “So, it would have been much better if he was there.”

The former yachtie wished Jean-Luc was on the show to explain himself. She felt that the reunion would’ve made more sense if they were altogether, albeit virtually. Dani would’ve liked to discuss the situation with Jean-Luc. Instead, they had to answer questions at separate times.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht star denies this paternity rumor

In the new sneak peek of part one of the Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 reunion, Dani tells Andy that the father “doesn’t want to have anything to do with it” and “thinks it’s not his child.” The clip already went viral on social media. Headlines pegging Jean-Luc and using these quotes him to speak out.

“There’s a lot of gossip about my social media silence so I think it’s time to clear the air,” Jean-Luc wrote. “While others are off chasing their 15 minutes of fame, I am working on a yacht in Central America and heartbroken to have to hear about the baby’s birth on social media and read headlines like ‘Dani Soares Says Her Baby’s Father Doesn’t Want Anything to Do With It.’ All I can say if she’s mine, I want to be involved 100 percent.”

Jean-Luc’s castmates didn’t agree with his statement. Most of them accused him of “playing the victim” and calling his post a “pity party.” Dani sat down for her interview with ET Online before Jean-Luc’s Instagram post. At the time, she didn’t feel the need to share her “side of the story.”

She did set the record straight and said she would “never deny a father seeing their daughter.” Dani admitted there is no closure between her and Jean-Luc. The couple last saw each other in the few days they spent together after finished filming last summer. But Dani made it clear that she would not rekindle a romance with Jean-Luc.

The two-part Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 reunion airs Monday, June 21 at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.