Edu Manzano (right) with Cherry Pie Picache
Filipinos are so hooked on the real-life love story of actors Edu Manzano and Cherry Pie Picache that even the couple was surprised to discover social media fan accounts dedicated to them, not just locally, but all over the globe.
“It’s phenomenal! That’s how both of us describe what’s happening. This is considering the fact that ours is not your usual love story—while Pie is still young, I’m a little mature now,” Edu quipped.
“We are amazed at what’s happening worldwide. Pie and I even sat down to discuss this. To be very honest, we don’t look at them as fans, but as friends. In fact, we’ve already had lunch with some of them. We took the effort to create a relationship with them. We wanted to tell them how much we appreciate everything they’re doing. Personally, I am still in awe,” the actor said.
Edu said a lot of their “friends” would send gifts, too. “One time, we got bags of fresh squid. We’re so grateful. And when they start getting engaged on social media, they’re unstoppable! My cellphone would beep nonstop. This often goes on until early morning,” he shared with Inquirer Entertainment during a recent virtual chat.
“We tell them that we appreciate the attention and their friendship, but we also remind them not to forget there are other things aside from social media; that we have families and loved ones, and that we also have to make time for them.”
Edu, 67, and Cherry Pie, 52, both admitted in previous interviews that they first dated some 20 years ago, but decided to simply remain friends. Love was rekindled with the two actors working together in the romantic comedy “Marry Me, Marry You” in 2021. Although, as of press time, talks are circulating that the two have sadly agreed to “cool-off” first.
Putting phones down
Asked what Edu thought made him and Cherry Pie click this time around, he said, laughing: “It’s because I tolerate all her mistakes! Seriously, I think it’s the maturity level that we have now. I actually enjoy talking to her. It’s during these times when we put our phones down. We don’t allow phones on the table during dinner, because that’s when we drink and chat. This is one of the times when social media takes a backseat. We don’t do it for attention. We try not to let what’s happening online bother us.
Edu said he is also very much aware of who Cherry Pie’s “greatest love” is. “It’s her son (actor-athlete Nio Tria)—we all know this. She has taken such good care of him, and the son has done great things as a person,” he pointed out.
As a couple, they enjoy good food and travel, said Edu. “Pie also loves tennis. Her son is one of the country’s best players. We travel when we get the chance. She is very patient when it comes to going online for bookings. Sometimes, when I go on important trips, I still ask her to help me, even though she’s not going with me. She lets me make up for her effort by making me carry all the luggages. Bawing-bawi!” Edu quipped.
The interview with Inquirer Entertainment was to promote Edu’s latest film, Lester Dimaranan’s “Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told,” which is an official entry to the 48th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which starts screening on Christmas Day.
Edu was absent during the last two media conferences because he was busy shooting another movie. He was not able to attend the annual MMFF Parade of the Stars, too. “That’s the problem with shooting inside a bubble. We’re no longer allowed to leave our lock-in set to make sure safety protocols are practiced,” he explained.
What really happened
“Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told” attempts to talk about what really happened during the Mamasapano clash in 2015 that resulted in the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) agents. The film alternates between battle scenes and the proceedings of the Philippine National Police-Crime Investigation and Detection Group Board of Inquiry. It gives a unique perspective of that disastrous incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, from the point of view of the investigators, survivors and witnesses.
“When the film was offered to me by Atty. Ferdie [Topacio, head of Borracho Films], I looked at it from the point of view of a soldier, having been in the military before. When I was still the Optical Media Board chief, I was also able to work with the SAF and the Army. We would go to the provinces where we received intelligence reports of film piracy. This is another reason I really felt a connection,” said Edu.
Edu plays Gen. Benjamin Magalong, who headed the Board of Inquiry. “I’m a big fan of the general. I wanted to look like him physically—I tried to be as close as I could. He dresses up really well, and when you see his medals, you will tell yourself, ‘Aba! This is an accomplished soldier.’ He really sets an example for all the others. The way he carries himself was like telling the soldiers indirectly how a soldier should look. I had a uniform personally made because I wanted to look as smart as Gen. Magalong. This is also why all the medals and ribbons you will see me wearing in the movie are from him. I really hope I succeeded.”