Budol (left) and Marco in “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask”
Maintaining a romantic relationship with someone of a different nationality is definitely a challenge, according to Filipino actor Joseph Marco who has been dating Russian model Dasha Romanova for almost two years now.
“To be honest, I think challenging is fun, challenging is interesting, challenging is not boring. That’s exactly what I want,” the actor told Inquirer Entertainment during a recent virtual interview.
“At the same time, being with someone who is not Filipino is interesting because you learn a lot about the personality of someone who didn’t grow up the way you did. It’s actually a blessing. You get to know her little by little each day, and this teaches you so much about life, like how to adjust or not easily get frustrated when things don’t exactly go your way, and how to learn to control your emotions,” said the 33-year-old.
Joseph has been dating Dasha since August 2020. He first made their relationship public by posting their pictures together on Instagram. Only recently, he shared a video of their reunion at the airport after being separated for 16 months.
Unique
“The more you get to know people, the more you get convinced that people are really different from each other, regardless of their nationalities. Each individual is unique, you have to respect that,” Joseph pointed out. “Adjustment and sacrifice are the key ingredients that have to be present if you want a successful relationship.”
Joseph likewise said that making a relationship work becomes much easier when you’re already at the “right age.” He explained: “This is because you no longer have distractions compared to when you were younger and still have a lot to prove. You already know what you want in a relationship, you’re now more responsible and mature in terms of handling disagreements.
Marco as Sieg
“When you encounter a problem within the relationship, you take it as it is, then you try to fix it. This is not like when you’re younger and you still think, ‘This partnership might not work in the future, anyway, so I’m just wasting my time by sticking to it now.’ But if you’re of age, you already know what to do. Yes, I’d say I’m pretty much content.”
The virtual interview was to promote Victor Villanueva’s 13-episode rom-com series “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask,” where Joseph is paired with controversial comedian-game show host Herlene Nicole Budol, aka the “Hipon Girl.”
The digital series tells the story of Malta (Herlene), who would often get rejected by the men she dates as soon as she takes off her face mask. One day at work, Malta meets the handsome but unlucky-in-love Sieg (Joseph). It’s love-at-first-sight for Sieg, who is mesmerized by Malta’s eyes. What unfolds is the story of how Malta and Sieg find love, overcome their insecurities, and break the negative cycles of their past.
Asked whether he thinks Sieg can be a real person, Joseph said: “Definitely! He’s a hopeless romantic. He wants to find true love. The story can happen in real life.”
Herlene Nicole Budol
The project is Herlene’s first big one, and Joseph said he made sure to guide her every step of the way. “I already liked Harley the first time we met. She’s easy to get along with. This was also why I was able to say to myself that the project was going to be fun. When your coactors, especially your leading lady, is so willing, work becomes enjoyable.
“She is very collaborative. I saw how she struggled, but there’s a reason I’m here, especially for her emotional scenes. I tried to share with her all the things I’ve learned in my being part of the industry for almost 12 years,” he said.
Considerate
There was also the issue of Herlene undergoing cosmetic enhancement while she was still taping for the series as a form of preparation for joining the recent Binibining Pilipinas 2022 pageant. Joseph swore that this did not affect the production of the series in any way.
“She was very vocal about it, so everybody on the set knows. This didn’t become a hindrance at all. As an actor, I’m very considerate. I always make sure I don’t become a hassle to my coworkers,” he pointed out.
“Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask,” produced by Chris Cahilig’s Insight 360 Films, premiered on the Puregold YouTube channel on June 11. New episodes will be streamed every Saturday at 6 p.m. “The ever-present face mask is now a symbol of hope and self-love for our lead in this new series,” Puregold marketing manager Ivy Piedad noted. INQ