The OG loveteam, Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos, known for their enduring onscreen partnership, opened up about the secret to maintaining a strong bond in their roles as an onscreen couple.
In an intimate interview with entertainment editors and some select showbiz press, the seasoned actors were asked about the separation of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, and the two shared some wisdom and offered their insights.
“Well, if it’s not meant to be, it won’t happen, you know? It’s a pity, of course. Many fans are saddened because a loveteam can truly carry the industry. The discussion here is about longevity. You can become famous for five or six years, but until when?” Vilma said in the vernacular.
“I think what happened to them, of course, many were saddened because they were a famous loveteam. Secondly, I think they were together for 11 years. Eleven years is no joke. Plus, their age adds a factor. This age is aggressive, you know. It can affect the movies they make because there are scenes with emotions and heart,” shared the Star For All Seasons.
Award-winning actor Christopher, who marks his screen partnership with Ate Vi for four decades now, responded, “We don’t have any secrets. We’re just professional.” Ate Vi then interrupted, saying, “Maybe we’re just lucky. Yetbo (Ate Vi’s term of endearment for Boyet) and I, we didn’t plan it. We entered what is called professionalism. Like, let’s not play with the movie. You know what I mean? Let’s not play that we’re madly in love, no. Let’s do our job, let’s be a married couple in the movie.”
“We respect each other’s talents. We fought more on talent. We took care of each other. Not the love, love that happens… of course, we’re sad. The two are famous, we’re sad. Let’s just hope for the best for both of them. Either with their personal lives or career-wise. So that’s the only thing we can wish for the two of them,” Boyet carried on.
The Vi-Boyet tandem returns in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, the initial offering of JG Productions titled When I Met You in Tokyo. They shared their passion and investment in the project, considering it a way to support their neophyte producers, Weng Jamaji and Rajan Gidwani, and contribute to the recovery of the Philippine cinema from the pandemic’s effects and the rise of various streaming platforms.
Supervising producer Redgie Acuña-Magno emphasized Ate Vi and Boyet’s hands-on involvement in many aspects of When I Met You in Tokyo, showcasing their dedication to the project and its promotion.
Boyet is even credited as one of the creative directors of the film, while Ate Vi provides input to enhance each scene, with many shot in Japan.
“Their creative input helped us in enhancing the scenes and making the story flow better,” Acuña-Magno said.