(From left) Anthony Jennings and Maris Racal. Image: Instagram/@mariesteller
Maris Racal hoped her onscreen partnership with “Can’t Buy Me Love” co-star Anthony Jennings would serve as a reminder that love teams do not have to be romantically involved to be successful in local show biz.
Racal admitted in an interview with reporters that she initially accepted her fate of not being part of a love team, while accompanied by Jennings on the sidelines of “Can’t Buy Me Love’s” finale press conference.
“Inisip ko na kapag na-reach ko ang 25, ‘Hindi na siguro ako magkaka-love team.’ Sa Philippines kasi, kailangan young and single ka para magka-love team. Kailangan pwede maging kayo. So inisip ko, ‘Okay, this is my path. I just need to focus.’ And then dumating [si Anthony] tapos may girlfriend din siya,” she said.
(I thought when I reached 25, “I don’t think I will be part of a love team.” In the Philippines, you must be young and single to be part of a love team. You must be a couple. So I thought, “Okay, this is my path. I just need to focus.” And then Anthony who also has a girlfriend came.)
The actress-singer is in a relationship with singer-songwriter Rico Blanco, while Jennings is romantically involved with a non-showbiz girlfriend for five years.
“Nag-work lang kami, it clicked, and sinuportahan ng mga tao. I hope ma-start ang [culture] na okay lang magka-love team nang hindi nagiging sila. You can do other endeavors,” said Racal.
(We just did our jobs, it clicked, and people supported it. I hope this starts a culture that being in a love team is okay even if you’re not a couple. You can do other endeavors.)
When asked why her pairing with Jennings became a hit, the actress said it had something to do with the actor’s “instinctive” nature especially when it comes to pulling off their needed scenes.
“Anthony is very instinctive when he acts. When I watched him do his nuances na wala sa script, I realized it was something I would do. Gets namin ang isa’t isa… maybe that’s why we worked,” she said. “The main ingredient is to study the character and script. You don’t need to do all the gymnastics to get the attention. Just focus.”
(Anthony is very instinctive when he acts. When I watched him do his nuances that aren’t part of the script, I realized it was something I would do. We get each other. Maybe that’s why we worked. The main ingredient is to study the character and script. You don’t need to do all the gymnastics to get the attention. Just focus.)
READ: Anthony Jennings denies ‘sapawan’ with DonBelle in ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’
Racal also pointed out that Blanco is “unfazed” about the success of her partnership with Jennings, saying the musician is “supportive” of them.
“Kilala ko si Rico. He is unfazed sa mga comments. Ang dami na niyang pinagdaanan sa show biz (I know Rico. He is unfazed with the comments. He went through so much in show biz),” she said.
Jennings and Racal made waves as the pairing known as SnoRene, which is based on the combination of their characters’ names Snoop and Irene. The actors are set to join forces in a project helmed by JP Laxamana.
Also included in the cast of “Can’t Buy Me Love” are Belle Mariano, Donny Pangilinan, Rowell Santiago, Agot Isidro, Kaila Estrada, Albie Casiño, Ruffa Gutierrez, Joao Constancia, and Nova Villa, just to name a few.