Coleen Garcia (right), with husband Billy Crawford and son Amari
Coleen Garcia’s relationship with Billy Crawford wasn’t all roses at the start. The road to their marriage, she admitted, was quite a rocky one. But she couldn’t be happier that they fought for it.
“There were fights at times that could make you think, ‘Will I give up?’ But we fought and fought and fought until the end. And I’m happy. It was a very rocky road to get here. But we’re finally here,” Coleen told reporters at a recent press conference for her new series, “Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko.”
Coleen and Billy have been married five years but have been together for nine years overall. They have a son named Amari who turns 3 in September.
In a good place
“We’re very happy. We’re in such a good place right now. Individually, we’re going through changes right now since he’s out of the country for two months [for a concert tour] … It’s an adjustment. But I believe he will come back recharged,” said Coleen who is easing her way back into the showbiz grind after taking a break from acting.
“This is my way of gauging things. I’m trying to gain momentum,” she added. “Amari seems to be OK with me going back to work. Hopefully, I can continue doing projects.”
But of course, being a hands-on mother is still the top priority. “I don’t have days off … There are always new things I have to adapt to because there are a lot of changes with him as he grows up … But the three years I spent cooped up with him were really valuable. I really got to know him; I know exactly how my son is like,” she said.
“The pandemic forced me to just stay at home with my son, because it was scary to go out. I had no choice but to stay at home, or focus on him. But it was very transformative,” the 30-year-old actress related.
Garcia (left) and Carlo Aquino in “Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko”
Directed by Carlo Enciso Catu, “Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko” is a Viva One original series that premieres on Aug. 21. Based on a novel by Marcelo Santos III, the story follows Allie (Coleen) and Benedict (Carlo Aquino), a couple who find themselves in a whirlwind romance.
Years later, they get engaged. And while they manage to keep the fire burning for a while, the underlying cracks in the relationship and issues they had swept under the rug resurface while they’re planning their wedding.
Grateful
Seeing their close friends—fellow couples, Georgina (Rhen Escaño) and Mark (Jerome Ponce), and Sandy (Ryza Cenon) and Derrick (Kiko Estrada)—struggle with their respective relationships only exacerbates Allie and Benedict’s fears about theirs.
Prior to this project, Coleen and Carlo’s interactions were limited to simple his and hellos at events. That’s why Coleen is grateful for this opportunity, which allowed her to know her screen partner better.
Coleen Garcia
“He’s super professional and accommodating … He’s a gentleman. He’s a really great partner. I’m comfortable working with him,” she said of Carlo. “There’s no awkwardness. He’s also very reliable as an actor and he gives it his all. He’s very experienced as an actor and it shows in his work. I learned a lot working with him.”
Shake off awkward feelings
While she’s no stranger to shooting romantic or intimate scenes, the process hasn’t gotten any easier, Coleen admitted. As for Billy’s advice? “Don’t think about me [while filming]. OK lang,” she related, laughing.
“He knows how I feel about doing such scenes—I don’t enjoy them. It’s something to work on, so I could be comfortable with it. But of course, I will do them when they’re necessary for the story. And I believe they’re needed in this project to make the story feel whole.
“I just had to shake off whatever awkward feelings I had before stepping into the scene, so my partner wouldn’t get awkward too. But luckily, Carlo was very thoughtful, asking if I was comfortable with the things he was doing,” Coleen related.
One of the questions the show hopes to answer is this: At what point do you give up on a relationship? “If I see that the situations are becoming toxic and beyond repair … if the harm done is destructive and irreversible, then it’s not good to stay in a relationship like that. It shouldn’t be a test of how long you can stay being a martyr,” she said.
Coleen Garcia
‘Take things slow’
Coming from a broken family, Coleen cautioned those aiming to take their relationships to the next level to make sure they’re ready for a commitment, before taking the leap.
“You can’t get a divorce here in the Philippines. I grew up with separated parents, so that was one of my fears, too. Things are a lot harder once you’re married. I personally experienced being in a broken family, and it’s very damaging to the children, as well as to the people around you. It breaks people,” Coleen said.
“That’s why you have to be really sure that you’re ready to commit,” she added. “I think it’s OK to take things slow.”