Actress in Peloton's viral holiday commercial says she is 'shocked and overwhelmed' by the response

• The actress in Peloton's viral holiday ad has spoken out.
• A massive search for the identity of the "Peloton Wife" took place via social media following her appearance in the ad that was criticized by many for its message.
• "To say I was shocked and overwhelmed by the attention this week (especially the negative) is an understatement," the actress, Monica Ruiz, said in a statement that was originally sent to Deadline on Saturday through her agency, LA Talent.
• The male actor in the commercial responded to the negative feedback to the ad on Thursday.
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The hunt for the actress in Peloton's viral holiday commercial is officially over.

Actress Monica Ruiz revealed her identity on Saturday and issued a statement to Deadline that responded to the attention surrounding the ad.

"I was happy to accept a job opportunity earlier this year from Peloton and the team was lovely to work with," Ruiz said in a statement originally sent to Deadline on Saturday through her agency, LA Talent. "Although I'm an actress, I am not quite comfortable being in spotlight and I'm terrible on social media. So to say I was shocked and overwhelmed by the attention this week (especially the negative) is an understatement."

The ad, which was released on YouTube on November 21 and is being shown on TV, follows what appears to be a woman's yearlong selfie journey after her partner gave her a Peloton bike for the holidays.

The ad sparked confusion on social media after some criticized it for being sexist and awkward. In a statement to CNBC, a Peloton spokesperson said the company "was disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial."

As many on social media wondered about the actress' identity, Ruiz appeared in a commercial for actor Ryan Reynolds' gin label Aviation Gin, which poked fun at Peloton's holiday commercial.

"When Ryan and his production team called about Aviation Gin, they helped me find some humor in the situation," Ruiz said in the statement. "I am grateful to both Peloton and now Aviation Gin for the work and giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do."

The male partner in the Peloton commercial, played by actor Sean Hunter, experienced a lot of the backlash from the ad, as many criticized his character's apparent suggestion that his partner in the commercial should work out more.

"My 5 seconds of air time created an array of malicious feedback that is all associated with my face," Hunter told Psychology Today.

Peloton did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.