For Dingdong and Anne, marriage not a hindrance to show biz career

Dingdong Dantes and Anne Curtis

Being married isn’t and shouldn’t be a hindrance to continue pursuing a career in show biz.

That’s why Dingdong Dantes and Anne Curtis cherish the fact that their respective spouses not only understand the nature of their work, but are also supportive every step of the way.

“Since I got married, I have been asked a lot whether I would be more choosy about the projects I accept. But I don’t think our personal lives should affect the roles we do, whether daring, baliw-baliwan, whatever,” Anne said at a recent press conference for Viva Entertainment’s new romantic film “Sid and Aya (Not a Love Story),” which opens on May 30.

Anne described her husband, celebrity chef and blogger Erwan Heussaff, as someone who “understands and admires the arts.”

“He doesn’t impose any restriction,” she said. “He’s supportive of any role that falls into my lap. He’s always excited about what the story is, if it’s typical or something I have never done before.”

Dingdong, Anne’s leading man in the movie, believes that being married has actually made him more “passionate” about seeking roles that will challenge him as an actor.

“I think the maturity marriage brings is such an important factor. Being married will make you grow as a person and I’m thankful for that,” said Dingdong, adding that his wife, Marian Rivera, being an actress herself makes the job a lot easier.

“She knows just how much I love making movies, this line of work. And she’s always there to support me. In fact, she’s already seen the trailer and she was very much intrigued,” he related.

Directed by Irene Villamor, “Sid and Aya” is a reunion project for Dingdong and Anne, who were costars in “T.G.I.S.,” a popular youth-oriented show in the 1990s. And on the set, the two had fun catching up, talking about married life.

“He shows me cute photos of his wife and their daughter, Zia,” said Anne, who jested that she used to be only a pesky chuwariwap during their “T.G.I.S.” days. “It helps that we have worked before—we were very comfortable with each other … This makes the project special for us.”

The film, which was shot partly in Tokyo, touches on—as Direk Irene put it bluntly—“lokohan” within a relationship. Have they experienced something like this in real life?

“I have already erased whatever … [lokohan] that had happened from my memories. I’m in a happy place now,” quipped Anne. “It’s a part of the journey of falling in love, I believe. You get hurt and then you get up again.”

Dingdong, on the other hand, said going through hard times will only make people grateful of what they have now. “For you to fully appreciate the happy times, you also have to experience things that are not so OK,” he said.