ERICH Gonzales and Daniel Matsunaga
“IT’S REAL. We’re genuinely happy together,” said Erich Gonzales of her boyfriend, Brazilian-Japanese actor Daniel Matsunaga, who is also her leading man in the ABS-CBN teleserye, “Be My Lady.”
During a recent media gathering, the actress pointed out that the concept of a program dealing with interracial romance was developed “long before Daniel and I realized that we were in love. This isn’t part of any script (or publicity stunt).”
Business unit head Ruel Bayani echoed Erich’s statement: “The original story featured a Filipino woman and an American guy. We were having a hard time completing the cast when Ma’am Charo (Santos-Concio, former ABS-CBN president), suggested Daniel and Erich. We simply changed the nationality of the male character to Brazilian.”
Daniel recalled that he and Erich first met on the set of the morning show, “Kris TV,” and eventually got to work together there on several episodes. They first realized that they felt “something more than friendship” for each other while working on the defunct Kapamilya series “Two Wives.”
“I waited for three years for that special someone, then she finally came along. She is such a blessing to me,” added Daniel, the grand winner of the reality series, “Pinoy Big Brother: All In” in 2014.
More time together
“Be My Lady” is his first big break in ABS-CBN. He said: “I’m thankful for the opportunity. The show is even more special because I’m working with my girlfriend. We get to spend a lot of time together. I also learn a lot about her.”
Erich said “Be My Lady” was special to her in the sense that she would often go to work “feeling inspired.” The set is located in Arayat, Pampanga.
According to director Theodore Boborol, working on a love story with real-life sweethearts has its advantages. “You can’t fake their chemistry—it’s natural. Another plus factor is that they help each other even when I’m not on the set. Work for us is made easier because of this. The two read their scripts together and discuss characterization.”
Erich admitted to feeling the pressure of being the lead star in the series. “I think it’s a good thing, because it keeps me from being complacent. As a result, I push myself to give my best.”
The couple likewise clarified that the pictures they uploaded on Instagram during their recent vacation in Bali, Indonesia, weren’t prenup photos. “We celebrated my birthday there. The place is truly lovely, and we simply wanted to share our magical moments there (with our supporters),” Daniel explained.
The Brazilian-Japanese celebrity also denied he has immediate plans of settling down with Erich. “Of course I have future plans with her, but our focus now is the show. We believe that things will happen in God’s time. My immediate goal is to build a home for my family here in the Philippines,” he pointed out.
“Marriage is a big deal,” Erich added. “We don’t want to rush something that we want to last forever. We’re grateful to be given the chance to work together!”
E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph.