Showbiz Chika

Even though they were both unattached when they shot Baler, Jericho Rosales said it was not the right time to think of romance on the set of the 2008 film. Although Echo admitted he developed feelings for Anne over the course of the project, he said that they were both still healing from their former relationships.

During that time, Anne was still recovering from her breakup with Sam Milby while Echo split with longtime girlfriend Heart Evangelista. Now that they are being paired together again in the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean series Green Rose, Jericho said he has no regrets about not acting on his feelings for Anne two years ago. “I won’t say it’s wrong timing, I would say it’s not the time. It wasn’t the time siguro. Hindi ko binalak manligaw. You could say that may naramdaman ako. Kaya lang we were both healing and I believe that there’s a time for everything. Siyempre si God dapat yung healing power ng bawat isa. Hindi yung hahanap ako ng tao. I wanted to heal also,” he shared during the Green Rose presscon held last February 9 at the ABS-CBN compound.

The singer-actor said that even though he is still single and Anne is now in a relationship with model-businessman Erwann Heussaff, he knows he still made the right decision. When asked if he still has feelings for Anne, Echo declined to comment, which further fueled the press’s curiosity about how it felt for him to be working with her again. “Mahirap na magsalita, (laughs) basta I’m just happy na nakaka-inspire na katrabaho si Anne. There’s a reason to smile everyday, ganun. Siyempre she’s very beautiful, sino bang hindi matutuwa kung yung leading lady mo maganda, maayos at mabait pa, so who wouldn’t be happy? I’m just happy. Yun na yun,” he added.

Jericho said that as they finish up the last few shooting days of Green Rose, he has noticed a definite transformation with Anne with regards to acting. The two closely worked together on their scenes and tried to bring out the best they could from each other and further develop the material given to them. “We knew we have responsibilities. It’s a primetime show and we have children watching so we discuss things to the point na kung may physical contact ng konti kasi lovers nga kami so dun ko nakita yung dedication niya dun sa character and the responsibility and she can separate that and alam niya kung saan niya ilulugar yung sarili niya sa bawat position. As a professional, she knows when to put her foot down and she knows when to stop and when to go and alam niya yung situation, marunong siyang umintindi,” he said.

Even off-cam, Echo said that Anne has been nothing but a welcome presence to everyone. “As a person, mas nakita ko na malapit siya dun sa staff niya and sa staff namin. I don’t want to say it’s a natural charm eh. Parang love siya ng lahat, that’s it. Ganun. Ang gaan ng feeling and I love working with actors na walang kiyeme. So punta siya sa set, kain siya ng kahit anong pagkain. Medyo natanggal yung pagkailang ko,” he admitted.

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