Kathryn Bernardo
I am happy,” was actress Kathryn Bernardo’s response when asked what three words she can use to best describe her relationship with boyfriend Daniel Padilla.
“It feels good that I am now able to share with people how I feel about him, since we finally revealed during our last press con the real status of our relationship,” the actress said during a media gathering for her latest film, Cathy Garcia-Molina’s “Three Words to Forever.”
“I’m at my happiest when I’m with DJ (Daniel’s nickname). He isn’t just my boyfriend; he’s my best friend. You can see this in the way he is with my family, and also with the people who matter to me,” Kathryn told reporters.
The 22-year-old actress, however, said settling down with Daniel is still far from her mind. “You’ll know it’s time [to take the plunge] because you will feel it. You will also feel the readiness in your partner. There’s really no specific age for getting married. For me, an indication is when you can already imagine a future with your present partner,” she explained.
Right now, Kathryn said she and Daniel still have a lot to accomplish individually. “It’s one thing that couples shouldn’t rush into. You will just be unfair to yourself and to your partner, if you get married while still emotionally unprepared. You will not be able to give your all to the relationship,” she pointed out.
In “Three Words to Forever,” Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez portray Kathryn’s parents; Liza Lorena and Freddie Webb, her grandparents; and Tommy Esguerra, her fiancé.
This is her first major project without Daniel. Their last film together, “The Hows of Us,” grossed P601 million when it was released in August.
Kathryn said she refused to feel pressured for this film to measure up to the previous one. “More than knowing how much this will earn at the box office, what’s important for me is how many families will be affected by the story,” she stressed. “Of course, it will be a bonus if the movie earns big.”
She added: “But really, we will feel more fulfilled as actors if our audience will be able to relate to the characters we play in the film, and if they leave the cinema feeling that they’ve learned something from what they saw.”
Kathryn said she was very proud of the material, written by Vanessa Valdez, Ana Karenina Ramos and Kiko Abrillo.
“I already knew it’s a good one when we started shooting our different confrontation scenes.
I want it to be seen by as many families as possible. I hope they will make time for it,” she said.