Maria Ozawa and Jose Sarasola (Image: Instagram/@chefjosesarasola)
Maria Ozawa has been going four years strong with chef Jose Sarasola, but it has not always been smooth sailing because of public opinion.
Sarasola admitted he had to deal with all kinds of “bashing” in an interview on “Tunay na Buhay,” hosted by Pia Arcangel, last Feb. 11. Ozawa, a former adult film star, joined him on the show through video call.
The two became a couple after less than a year of Sarasola courting Ozawa. However, there were some who disapproved of their relationship.
“It was really hard. Name it, lahat ng mga (all the) bashing, crude and negative comments, nakuha ko (I got them),” the chef recalled. He would sometimes fire back at the comments, until friends advised him that this would only benefit those making the negative comments.
“I’m kind of used to it because of the industry where I was before,” Ozawa said. “At first [when] I heard that, I really felt sorry for Jose. I guess we kind of like, just [let it] slip aside.”
“If we’re happy, then who cares about the other people,” she added.
The couple celebrated their fourth anniversary on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. Ozawa is currently based in Japan and they have been in a long-distance relationship since last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
When asked about how he dealt with Ozawa’s past as a porn actress, Sarasola said in the interview, “I didn’t really think that way. I think it worked na I didn’t give her that impression.”
“I didn’t treat her as Maria Ozawa the international star. I treated her as Maria Ozawa the person, who she really is inside,” he noted.
The two first met at Sarasola’s establishment, 75 Sports Bar in Parañaque. The chef said he did not want to “act starstruck” even if he knew who Ozawa was, while Ozawa said he caught her eye because he was “macho.” Niña V. Guno /ra
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