In the film, which was Smith’s noble (if not entirely successful) attempt at a mainstream flick, a widower played by Ben Affleck must look after his precocious daughter (a very young Castro) and rebuild his life after a personal tragedy and an ill-timed rant.
Castro, now 31, has gone on to appear in TV shows like Blue Bloods and Empire, all while pursuing a career as a singer, too.
Fast forward to today, and the Jersey Girl star has traded her childhood pigtails for a bridal veil. On March 15, Castro took to Instagram to announce her engagement to music producer Andrew Brinkman.
The sweet photoshoot, set against a stunning sunset at Cielo Farms in Malibu, began with Brinkman—dressed casually in a polo shirt and shorts—down on one knee. Castro, sporting a floral white dress, brought her hands to her face in what we can only assume was utter shock. The next shot shows Brinkman getting emotional as Castro inspects her brand-new engagement bling. Other snaps in the carousel show the happy couple enjoying wine and cake, and posing for photos with their family.
A post shared by Raquel Castro (@raquelxcastro)
Of course, onlookers rushed to the comments to wish the cute couple well.
“This is everything! Nobody deserves this more,” one top comment read. “Congratulations!!! You’re beaming! So happy for you,” a second onlooker added. “OMG! I love this! Congratulations, you two!!” yet another onlooker gushed.
Back in February, the soon-to-be-married couple posted a heavenly cover of “At the Altar” by ELEVATION RHYTHM. The video, set in a pastoral paradise, features the pair dressed in white under a tree. As Brinkman strums the guitar, his bride-to-be, Castro, delivers the soulful lyrics.
The comments section was full of fans gushing over the couple’s heavenly interpretation of the tune.
“Wow, you guys look ethereal,” one top comment read. “Omg. CHILLLSSSS are you kidding?” a second fan added.
“Love this and you guys are so cute!” a third onlooker chimed in.
From her debut in Jersey Girl to dueting with her future husband, Raquel Castro has had quite the glow-up. Fans are surely hoping for more heavenly collabs from the soon-to-be-newlyweds for years to come.