IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Charlie Dizon, Carlo Aquino’s romance
Charlie Dizon and Carlo Aquino | Images: Instagram/@jose_liwanag, @myiookamoto
Actors Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon threw caution to the wind when they, without even announcing their engagement, went straight to the altar and got married in Silang, Cavite on June 9, sans the fanfare that attended most celebrity weddings.
Theirs is a kind of whirlwind romance where they practically said “I don’t” to all the media circus amid the controversies hounding them, particularly their 11-year age gap and Aquino’s not quite smooth relationship with ex-girlfriend Trina Candaza, mother of his daughter, Enola Mithi.
Take a quick trip down memory lane to when the newlyweds’ romance blossomed.
2020
Sharing an 11-year gap in age, Aquino and Dizon first met and are said to have become friends after working in the action drama “A Soldier’s Heart.” At the time, the actor was still dating Candaza.
Aquino and Candaza confirmed their separation in 2022, after three years of dating. However, Aquino and Dizon have kept mum as to how they have connected after that.
August to December 2022
On August 9, Aquino posted some pictures with Dizon, a candid moment where the two of them were laughing. The photos were said to have been captured during the “Star Magic 30th Anniversary: Beyond the Stars US Tour,” which they both headlined. The photos began the dating rumors between them.
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By the months of November to December, more photos of the two getting cozy around each other surfaced on the internet; one was a candid shot where they were dining at an unnamed food place in La Union, and the other was taken during a holiday dinner with their non-showbiz friends.
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January 2023
On January 9, in an ambush interview during the media conference of his film “I Love Lizzy,” Aquino first opened up about the real score between him and the “Fangirl” actress, saying that they are getting to know each other.
“Ako kinikilala ko si Charlie, kung ‘yon ang gusto niyong malaman. Very positive ‘yung pasok niya sa buhay ko. So let’s leave it at that. Kasi usually kapag lumalabas may mga naninira. Alam niyong importante sakin ‘to. Nirerespeto ko [siya]. Hayaan muna natin,” he said at the time.
February 2023
After confirming that they were dating the previous month, Aquino hard-launched Dizon on Instagram by posting a video of the actress during their trip to Japan, in which he captioned, “TokYou have my heart.”
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July 2023
On July 20, Dizon finally admitted that she’s dating the “Expensive Candy” actor, saying that the two of them hit it off the previous year.
“Opo, boyfriend ko po siya,” she said at the time when Aquino’s photo flashed on screen during her guest appearance on TV5. “Ay, first time ko sinabi [ito].”
“Paano nagstart? Dati kasi magkawork kami, doon kami naging friends. After that, hindi na kami nakapag-usap. Tapos last year, nag US tour ‘yung Star Magic doon kami mas nagkakilala,” shared the actress.
August 2023
The couple officially starred in their first movie together, “Third World Romance.” It received praise upon its release, and just recently, Dizon won Best Actress in the 2024 Gawad Urian for her role in the film.
During the promotion of “Third World Romance,” last year, the two became comfortable showing the public how much they cared for each other as they talked candidly about their romance during interviews.
The couple broke down in tears as they opened up about their relationship in a guest appearance on “Magandang Buhay” on August 15.
“Hindi po,” said Aquino when asked if he’s been in love in the past the same way he’s been in love with Dizon. “Yung love na binibigay niya sakin mas nangingibabaw. Feeling ko mahal niya ako talaga.”
“For me, si Carlo, ‘yung biggest surprise talaga sakin,” expressed Dizon when she got asked the same question. “Kasi nung una, iwas na iwas ako, so before, hindi ko talaga ini-expect ‘yung timing niya and all.”
“First time ko na feel ‘Ay bakit open ako ngayon’ Siya lang rin ‘yung nakagawa non. Kasi nagkaroon rin ako ng relationship before, pero hindi ganto, sobra. Ngayon ko lang naexperience ‘Ay ganto pala ‘yung may jowa talaga’,” continued the actress in tears.
September 2023
Dizon greeted the actor on his birthday by simply sharing a sweet photo of them together, which was the first photo of them she posted on her Instagram profile.
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October 2023
The couple attended their first ABS-CBN ball together, stunning hand-in-hand on the red carpet and showing off their chemistry in the romantic photos they shared on their respective Instagram pages.
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February 2024
Aquino told an interview with Cosmopolitan he is ready to settle down with Dizon, the first time that he made a reference to marriage with the actress following speculations of their secret engagement.
What was telling was how he viewed the changes that their relationship brought in him, particularly his outlook in life and in how they deal with difficulties, a kind of natural calmness that he has not found in his previous relationships.
June 2024
The couple sparked wedding talks on June 9 after their make-up artist posted some pictures of what seemed to be a preparation for their wedding.
Prior to the wedding, Aquino also posted what could now be deduced as a prenup picture with the actress, writing in his caption, “Unti unti natin gagapangin ang buhay ng nakatawa,” and Dizon replied, “I love you,” in the comment section.
A few hours before the end of D-Day, their wedding photographer posted on Instagram that the two had officially tied the knot in an intimate ceremony. Nothing so fancy, just love.
