ENNYLYN Mercado with leading man Derek Ramsay
While she does go out on dates once in a while, Jennylyn Mercado, previously in a relationship with Luis Manzano, insists she’s not ready for another.
“I’m enjoying being single; I’m not ready to commit. I don’t think I have the time—I have a lot on my mind, a lot of things to do,” the 27-year-old told reporters at a recent press conference for the film “English Only, Please,” an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, which opens Dec. 25.
Spotted with ex
Jennylyn was earlier spotted with ex-boyfriend Dennis Trillo on a biking trip to the Sierra Madre, sparking rumors that that the former lovers have gotten back together. “He just tagged along with my group,” Jennylyn said, adding that she and Dennis became friends after their breakup in 2011.
They were comfortable enough, Jennylyn said, to record a duet, “After All,” for her new album, “Never Alone.” “We had closure and we were good before we did that song. We run into each other at work. We’re friends—nothing wrong with that,” she said.
Asked if there’s a possibility she would reunite with Dennis, Jennylyn said, “I don’t know. We can’t say for sure what the future will bring.”
The GMA 7 star was teased about her “English Only, Please” leading man Derek Ramsay, whom she described as patient, sweet and thoughtful. “We clicked the first time we saw one another. He’s a joy to work with—very makulit.”
Sports enthusiasts
It helped that they are both sports enthusiasts, the singer-actress said: Jennylyn is into triathlon, while Derek is into Frisbee, among other activities. “At first I thought he was a serious person, but as the shooting went on, I learned that Derek is someone I can joke around with,” she related. “We both love sweets. We eat out together with the rest of the crew.”
Impressed with Derek
She was impressed with Derek’s professionalism on the set, she said, adding that he made her feel comfortable in their kissing scenes. “I was nervous because it was my first time being paired with Derek. But he guided me through it and was a real gentleman,” she said. “And although he was going through a lot of personal problems during the shooting, Derek never let it affect our work and always showed his best,” Jennylyn added.
In “English Only, Please,” directed by Dan Villegas and produced by Quantum Films, the actress plays Tere Madlansacay, a strict and feisty Filipino-English tutor. She gets hired by a good-looking New Yorker, Julian Parker (Derek), who wants to brush up on his Tagalog so he could tell his Filipino ex-girlfriend (Isabel Oli), without buckling, how much she had hurt him.
Refreshing break
After 10 years of doing mostly heavy dramas, Jennylyn pointed out that it was refreshing to do a romantic-comedy for once. “I’ve gotten used to getting my hair pulled or getting slapped. Now I go home without the emotional baggage from the set. The script and the working environment are fun and light,” she said.
“I also got to be myself in the movie—use the same expressions, talk the way I talk and move the way I move in real life,” said Jennylyn, who remains positive about the project’s box-office prospects, despite being pitted against fantasy and horror flicks that are fashioned for children.
(apolicarpio@inquirer.com.ph)