JAKE Cuenca
ACTOR Jake Cuenca has denied that Arci Muñoz, his screen partner in the recently concluded TV series, “Pasion de Amor,” was the cause of his breakup with his American girlfriend, Sarah Grace Kelly.
The 28-year-old actor said the fact that he had several kissing scenes with Arci “never became an issue with her (Sarah Grace).”
“Yes, we discussed it (kissing scenes), but she was never jealous of Arci. They even met each other,” he recalled. “[However], she did admit to feeling uncomfortable, seeing her boyfriend kissing someone on TV.”
He cited “unresolved conflicts” in their long-distance relationship as the reason Sarah Grace decided to call it quits. The 20-year-old fashion model is based in the United States.
“This relationship affected me differently,” Jake confessed at a recent luncheon organized by the clothing brand Guitar, which he endorses. “Compared to my previous breakups—[when] I was happy to be single again and to finally go out and party—this time, I just want to stay home and be alone. I just don’t see myself in another relationship right now. I have to rest first.”
Cuenca said what made his relationship with Sarah Grace special was that “in the beginning, she didn’t know I was an actor. She made an effort to really know me.”
But their relationship didn’t work because “I guess the timing was not right,” Jake said.
He continued: “I guess it’s difficult to understand an actor’s hectic schedule, and the fact that he doesn’t have any control over it.
“As someone who came from a small town in the States, she was also probably shocked by everything. The kind of lifestyle I live was overwhelming for her.”
The actor added: “I still have to learn from this experience, something that I will be able to apply to the next relationship. That’s actually what’s sad about breakups, you don’t get to apply what you’ve learned to the person you really love.”
“I hope one day we can meet halfway and continue what we had,” he said. “For now, we just have to do what’s best for each other.”
The actor said he didn’t have the heart to ask Sarah Grace to stay with him in the Philippines because she is still young “and also has dreams of her own. She liked me because I was able to show her that she can eventually achieve her dreams, that she only has to believe in herself. I couldn’t ask her to just stay with me, because she also has a family to take care of.”
In the beginning, the ABS-CBN star said he had hoped to balance work and flying to the States to be with his girlfriend. “But there were situations I couldn’t control, like the airing of ‘Pasion’ getting extended several times. My plans got delayed, and the problems that could have been easily resolved had we been together here weren’t resolved.”
E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph