Dingdong Dantes very proud of wife Marian Rivera, co-stars in ‘Rewind’

Check out our live updates to get the latest on the MMFF 2023!

Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera during the advanced screening of “Rewind.” Image: X/@StarCinema

There was not a dry eye in the theater as Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes hugged Mae Cruz-Alviar, director of their Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “Rewind,” which they hope to serve as a reminder to value what matters most.

“Rewind” tells the story of John (Dingdong Dantes) who would lose his wife Mary (Marian Rivera) to a car accident, which prompts him to make a deal with the Lord to turn back time to make things right. As soon as credits rolled, the real-life couple were seen wiping off their tears before hugging Alviar tightly.

WATCH: Not a dry eye in the theater as a visibly emotional Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera express their gratitude to “Rewind” director Mae Cruz-Alviar during the premiere of their MMFF film. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/ox0Tm1GcPd

— Hannah Mallorca (@HMallorcaINQ) December 22, 2023

“‘Yun ang feeling noong binasa ko ang script, kailangan mong i-proseso dahil maganda talaga ang mensahe niya. Now that I watched it, parang nabuhay ang binasa ko (That was how I felt when I first read its script, you have to process it because it has a beautiful message. Now that I watched it, it’s like the text came to life),” Dantes told reporters during its premiere night.

Dantes, who expressed how “happy and proud” he is of Rivera and his “Rewind” co-stars, admitted the MMFF entry also made him look back at his own life to see what he can do better.

“I’m very, very happy. I’m very, very proud of my wife and co-actors and paano nilatag ito ni Direk Mae,” he said. “Mahalaga ang [magiging] pakiramdam mo pagkatapos panoorin ang ‘Rewind.’ Meron kang gustong gawin sa sarili mo. May kanya-kanya siyang impact. There’s really not just one lesson. It really depends on how one will receive it. I hope everyone will watch it kasi iba-iba talaga magiging atake nito sa tao.”

(I’m very, very happy. I’m very, very proud of my wife, co-actors, and how director Mae Cruz-Alviar weaved this together. The feeling you get after watching “Rewind” is important. You want to do something in your life. It has a different impact per person. There’s really not just one lesson. It really depends on how one will receive it. I hope everyone will watch because it will impart something different to others.)

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. Image: Instagram/@marianrivera

On the other hand, Rivera couldn’t help but laugh in response when asked if she considers herself as one of the possible nominees for Best Actress at the MMFF’s awards night.

“Hindi ko alam! Basta maganda ang pelikula, maganda ang message, at ‘yun naman ang sinasabi namin lagi. As long as kapag lumabas ka sa sinehan, may makukuha kang message na matututunan na ano ba talaga ang mahalaga para sa’tin,” she said.

(I don’t know! As long as the movie is good, the message is good, and that’s what we say all the time. As long as you realize and learn the message of the film, and that is to ask yourself what matters most.)

“Rewind” marks Rivera’s first film as the lead role since 2014’s “My Big Bossing,” to which she admitted was a “huge adjustment” period for her, although she’s grateful to her husband and the director’s company along the way.

Prior to the MMFF entry, the actress was also part of the 2016 movie “Imagine You and Me” and 2018 movie “Fantastica,” but only for cameo appearances.

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes during the premiere night of “Rewind.” Image: Hannah Mallorca/INQUIRER.net

“Nag-adjust ako. 13 years eh… Marami kaming naging bonding together with Direk Mae, especially with Dong kapag kailangan niyang mag-break down [in certain scenes]. Nand’un ako for him,” she said, referring to Dantes using his nickname.

(I adjusted a lot. It’s been 13 years. I had a lot of bonding moments with director Mae Cruz-Alviar, and especially with Dong if he needs to break down in certain scenes. I’m also there for him.)

Rivera also admitted that her character Mary is personal to her, as she noted both of their willingness to give it all for their families.

“Kapag binabasa ko ang character ni Mary, may pagkakataon na relate talaga ako. Not necessarily na gan’un ang asawa ko in real life, but ‘yung pagiging submissive in the sense na isasantabi niya muna ang lahat para sa family (When I read about Mary’s characters, there are moments that I relate a lot to her. I’m not necessarily saying my husband is like that in real life, but in the sense of her being submissive that she’s willing to set everything aside for her family),” she said.