Marjorie Barretto and Gerald Anderson. Images: Instagram/@marjbarretto and @andersongeraldjr
Marjorie Barretto revealed why she has a soft spot for daughter Julia’s boyfriend Gerald Anderson, narrating a memorable first encounter with the “A Family Affair” actor.
In their one-on-one talk which aired on Barretto’s vlog, the “Don’t Give Up on Us” actress had nothing but nice words for then newbie Anderson, who she first met in ABS-CBN.
“Bagong-bago pa lang si Ge, and he was with a group of people. Tapos, mag-isa lang ako naghihintay ng car. Ikaw lumapit sa’kin. Ikaw lang sa grupo mo ang lumapit sa’kin,” claimed Barretto, who added that she did not expect the young Anderson to recognize her.
(Gerald was very new in the industry, and he was with a group of people. Then, I was alone, waiting for a car. You [Anderson] walked up to me. It was only you in your group who walked up to me.)
Anderson, who admittedly does not remember a lot about the encounter, said that Barretto looked like a celebrity to him at that time. The actor explained, “E Tita, malayo pa lang, mukha na po kayong artista e.” (Even from afar, Tita, you looked like a celebrity.)
Barretto shared that their first encounter is the reason why she has a “soft spot” for the actor, and also the reason “why we got close right away.”
“Tumatak lang siya sa’kin kasi talagang you went out of your way. You went up to me and said, ‘Good evening’ or whatever. Basta, binati mo ‘ko,” said Barretto. (The encounter left a mark on me because you really went out of your way… Anyway, you greeted me.)
On his end, Anderson, when asked by Barretto on his first impression of her family, revealed that he felt intimated, but clarified that Barretto’s family was not intimidating.
The actor explained “[M]ay aura na parang… siyempre, bata pa lang tayo e, ‘di ba Barretto na ‘yan?” (There’s an aura that’s like…of course, when we were young, isn’t the Barretto name already popular?)
When the “My Perfect You” actor got to join the family for meals for the first time, he shared how good the family’s dynamics is, and enjoyed seeing them have their meals.
“Minsan, pinapanood ko lang sila or nakikinig lang ako. ‘Cause we can start with one topic, tapos in three seconds, iba na topic na pinag-uusapan. ‘Tas, babalik ulit do’n,” said Anderson who also added how there’s no dull moment with the Barretto family.
(Sometimes, I would just watch or listen to them. ‘Cause we can start with one topic, then in three seconds, the topic would already be different. Then, we’ll go back to the previous topic.)
Barretto shared that she appreciates how the actor is “always present” when there’s a special occasion, which she said is important to her.
“The kids are all I have, so talagang prayer ko lang ‘yung mga partners ng mga anak ko talaga medyo makasundo ko, which is naman gagawin ko lahat para makasundo sila. Kasi ayoko namang mawala ‘yung mga anak ko sa’kin, ‘di ba?” she explained.
(The kids are all I have, so my prayer really is just for their partners and I to get along, for which I would do everything for us to get along. Because I don’t want to lose my children, right?)
Anderson shared that spending time with his girlfriend’s family does not feel like an obligation and expressed how he enjoys their company. The former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate even rescheduled a commitment for Barretto’s birthday, explaining how “it’s [Barretto’s birthday] something…I wanna be a part of.”
Barretto also appreciated how Anderson has brought “the adventure to our family.” “Yan ang department ni Ge sa family namin. He brought the adventure kasi alam niyang sobrang matatakutin ako,” Barretto said.
She also noted how the actor, who’s “super close” to her youngest, 11-year-old Erich, has given the young girl new experiences, such as snorkeling. The former politician also shared how her daughter’s first boxing gloves and bike came from the actor.
When asked about what he thinks are his girlfriend Julia’s similarities to her mom, Anderson said that the two are both “very caring,” and added that Julia is “very motherly,” a trait which the actor also thinks his girlfriend got from her mom.
Anderson also shared how Julia’s fondness for kids is at a different level. Barretto, earlier in the vlog, told the actor “[Y]ou will be a good father when the time comes, kasi magaling ka sa bata.”
Barretto expressed appreciation for the pair’s relationship, saying “I really appreciate that hindi kayo madrama at pala-away. “(I appreciate that your relationship is not dramatic and that you don’t fight often.)
She added, “Not many people know that about your relationship. I think ’cause you both are really quiet about it. But that’s my take on it— it’s not dramatic [and] it’s not stressful.”
Anderson confirmed his relationship with his “Between Maybes” co-star in 2021, and faced controversies surrounding his previous relationships, including with Kapuso actress Bea Alonzo. EDV