John Prats, Isabel Oli’s advice to Sam, Catriona: Always choose each other

“They’ll be fine.”

This was how John Prats and wife Isabel “Liv” Oli described the current situation of John’s best friend Sam Milby and fiancée Catriona Gray. The two are reportedly going through a rough patch in their relationship a year after they announced their engagement in February 2023.

“They’ve been together for five years now. Misunderstandings are normal at this stage in their relationship,” said Liv during a recent interview with Inquirer Entertainment. “What’s important is that they’re both OK. Actually, we can’t tolerate them sometimes when they do PDA (public display of affection) in front of us,” added John, laughing.

Liv agreed, but added: “No matter how sweet they are to each other, they still fight, like normal couples do. At the end of the day, they both choose to be with each other and learn to forgive each other.”

John is assuming that the situations faced by Sam and Catriona, as well as their reactions, are often “magnified” because they are celebrities. Sam is one of ABS-CBN’s top actors while Catriona is Miss Universe 2018.

Communication

“We also fight, but why is it that nobody bothers to gossip about us?” asked John, turning to Liv.

“Also, because since there have been a lot of famous couples breaking up since last year, people are watching them closely. We can see that they’re OK. We’re confident about that,” declared Liv, adding that communication is an important element in preserving a relationship. “Men in general need to practice this. They tend to be passive. They only talk when they’re already about to explode. That’s why a lot of issues don’t get addressed. John used to be so timid. I’ve seen how much he has improved through the years.”

Calmness, composure

John said he realized that the shift from quiet to expressive was the right thing to do. “I guess the more you hide your emotions, the angrier you get. One good way to handle this is to make sure both of you are already calm and composed before you resume communicating your thoughts on issues,” advised John, who has been married to Liv for almost nine years now.

The couple has three kids: Lilly Feather, Daniel Freedom and Lilla Forest.

When asked to share what their wish for Sam and Catriona would be, John said: “I always tell them that a relationship is not just about love, but also about commitment. When we were still planning our wedding, all our energy was focused on the ceremony. Our pastor told us, ‘Don’t work on that because the actual work will start after you say ‘I do.’’ That’s what I told Sam.”

“And even though they don’t ask for advice, they can see this in my marriage with John. They will go through similar struggles eventually,” added Liv.

John also said that every couple goes through several “journeys” in their relationship. “Once they have children, the journey they are on now will change. There will come a time when Sam, as a man, will feel jealous of the attention Catriona will give to their child. They will have to work on this. The man has to make the extra effort to be caring and sweet to his wife, especially when she begins to assume the role of a mother. You may think this is too insignificant, but this actually affects the marriage,” John observed.

“What we teach them are the things that we’ve also learned,” added Liv. “All the mistakes we’ve committed, we would share with them so that they will know what to avoid. We always tell them that, no matter what happens, they should choose each other.”

We asked the couple whether or not they miss acting. Liv, who has not had a regular acting project for almost eight years now, said she had to lie low when she got pregnant with Feather. John, on the other hand, was last seen in the defunct series “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” and has been busy as a concert director.

“I miss acting. I’ve had TV guestings throughout those eight years. I am actually having a hard time adjusting because a lot has changed, especially after the pandemic,” Liv said.

“It’s only been two years since ‘Probinsyano,’ but I have been working nonstop for 18 years,” John began. “Also, this journey I have as a director has given me a new sense of purpose. Lately, there’s an overflow of excitement in me. I’m enjoying everything, even though I only started doing this in 2018. This is why I can’t imagine myself packing up to resume going to tapings.”

Different high

He continued: “As a director, I don’t mind having a work schedule that’s hectic compared to being an actor, going to a set, then spending almost half of my day waiting for my turn to face the camera. I don’t think I’m up for that kind of ‘journey’ anymore. I now prefer working on live events, where audience reaction is direct and instantaneous. This gives me a different kind of high.”

Meanwhile, Liv recently appeared in the series “Lilet Matias: Attorney at Large,” and said “I really want to try again.” Only last December, Liv joined the talent management group Cornerstone Entertainment, which also manages John’s career. “I signed up with them because I know how they take care of their talents. They are very transparent as to how they manage John’s career. We signed up our children with them, too, to help us manage them in relation to endorsements.”