“I JUST play along,” she says, when John looks at an attractive girl. They were married in February 2011. NICE PRINT PHOTO
Even while her marriage to actor John Estrada is “very okay” so far, Brazilian beauty queen-model Priscilla Meirelles admits she makes constant adjustments on account of their different cultural backgrounds and upbringing.
“I’m Brazilian; he’s Filipino. I’m the foreigner here so I’m the one who does the adjusting most of the time. I come from a traditional family; John grew up in show biz,” the 2004 Miss Earth told a group of reporters at a press conference for TV5’s “Celebrity Dance Battle,” which ended last month.
“When you’re married, you discover something new in your partner every day. When that stops, so will the marriage,” added Priscilla, who tied the knot with John in a beach wedding in La Union three years ago. They have a two-year-old daughter, Sammantha Anechka.
Intriguing posts
Early this year, Priscilla posted on her social media accounts intriguing messages that led some people to suspect that her marriage was on the rocks. One of her posts on Instagram read: “There is a difference between giving up and knowing when you have had enough.”
Asked about that, she pointed out that it’s natural for couples to face problems from time to time. “Everything’s fine now,” Priscilla said. “You just have to talk, compromise, work things out and hope for the best … I know what I want and what I can do. I make sure that he knows what kind of woman I am, so he knows his limits.”
She added, “I tell him what I expect from him, how he should act as a husband. [Before we got married] John had been single for a long time and was enjoying his life. When you enter a marriage, of course there has to be adjustments.”
Over the years, John has built quite a reputation for being a ladies’ man. “Actually, malandi ang asawa ko—in a friendly way!” Priscilla said, laughing. The 30-year-old beauty added that John can’t help gawking when an attractive woman passes by.
“He has to look! So I just tell him, ‘Ang ganda talaga niya ’no, babe? O, look lang, walang touch!’ I just play along. I don’t get jealous,” she related. “Sometimes I tease him, ‘Enough na. Baka akala niya gusto mo siya at mas maganda siya sa ’kin!”
If there’s one thing she has learned in three years with John, Priscilla said it’s the value of patience. “It’s necessary, especially since he’s an actor and in show biz. I try to understand as much as I can. Sometimes it’s hard, but I do my best.”
More children
John wants two more kids, Priscilla said. However, while motherhood has been a happy and fulfilling experience for her, she said, she has to put baby plans on hold so she can focus on
THE MODEL-BEAUTY QUEEN says married life entails serious adjustments.
her career. “I’m planning to start a business of my own and do some TV hosting gigs,” she said. “Hopefully, I can achieve those within two years. We’ll see what happens after.”
As for her relationship with John’s ex-wife Janice de Belen, Priscilla maintained that she has no problems with the actress. John and Janice, who got married in 1992, have four children—Inah Moira, Kaila and Yuan. Their marriage was annulled in 2004.
Ex-couple’s kids
“Their kids are well-educated and kind. We sometimes go out of town and have dinner,” Priscilla said, adding that the ex-couple’s relationship has gotten a lot better since late last year, especially now that their eldest daughter, Inah, is about to enter show biz, too.
“They’re okay now,” Priscilla said. “They always talk because of Inah; they discuss the projects she should do, what kind of car they should give her, etc.—all for the child’s welfare.”
But does see herself ever being friends with Janice? “I’ll never push for a situation that is not ideal,” Priscilla said. “It’s kind of weird to be best friends with your husband’s ex. What’s important is that we respect each other. I respect her for being the mother of John’s kids.”
(E-mail apolicarpio@inquirer.com.ph.)