Julia’s debut coming up–she asked Coco to be her escort weeks ago

WILL Coco Martin be Julia’s Prince Charming?

Julia Montes was never the girly-girl type who’s into Disney princesses. But for her coming 18th birthday next week (March 19), the young actress, for a change, wants to feel like one. And so her coming-out party will have a fairy-tale theme. “It’s a big moment in every girl’s life,” she told Inquirer. “I want it to be special.”

Prince Charming

Who will be Prince Charming to her Cinderella? In past interviews, Julia said Coco Martin was the likely one, but that she hadn’t asked him. He is 13 years her senior.

During the press con for their Valentine movie, “A Moment in Time,” after a bit of teasing and coaxing—and in front of crazed, shrieking fans inside the Dolphy Theater—Julia invited Coco to be her escort. “I’m asking you,” she simply said, turning to him.

It could have been a publicity stunt; what was clear was that Coco had mastered the art of thrilling the fans.

“I was hoping you would,” the actor quipped, pushing the fans further to the edge. Then he addressed them directly: “It would hurt if she asked someone else—ibig sabihin basted! But she asked me; this probably means extra points—we could end up together after all!”

Asked if she had considered anyone else, Julia replied: “Not really. I was really going to ask him. I was just concerned that he might turn me down because of his hectic schedule.”

The two filmed several portions of “A Moment” in Amsterdam and romantic Paris. During that European excursion, Julia said, Coco managed to give the word “gentleman” a whole new meaning.

“Coco was very respectful not only to me, but also to my grandmother,” she related. “And he wasn’t doing it just because he wanted to put his best foot forward. He’s simply a natural gentleman. That’s a big plus [for me]”

No awkwardness

Julia also said she was very comfortable with Coco, whom she considered her closest guy friend. “There’s no awkwardness between us at all,” she said. “He knows how I am off-cam—how I behave, how I eat… He doesn’t judge me.”

Is she open to the possibility of a romantic relationship with him? “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but I’m not closing any doors,” Julia said.

As for Enchong…

Meanwhile, the show biz writers couldn’t help asking whether or not her rumored ex-boyfriend Enchong Dee had been invited to the “18 Roses” portion of the cotillion. “He was on the list, but he said he had a prior commitment,” Julia said.

Although she’s turning 18, Julia said she’d rather focus on career than romance just now. “Let’s be honest, no matter how serious you are about your career, having a love life will distract you. But should it happen to me, it had better be because of the right guy!”