Push Admin

Gelli de Belen, Cris Villanueva’s real thoughts about #MarKap “love team”

Article (news)

Liezel dela Cruz

Gelli de Belen and Cris Villanueva are surprised that they can still create an epic and adorable ‘love team’ considering their age. Their MarKap ‘ship’ in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/2good2betrue">2 Good 2 Be True</a> was purely accidental. Now it sails from a slow burn romance due to insistent public demand, which goes to show that ‘kilig’ really has no boundaries, even age. But, as the ship sails, fans also get curious as to how their families, especially Gelli’s husband Ariel Rivera, react to their tandem. Find out in this episode of Kapamilya Chat.The actors are elated over the success of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/2good2betrue">2 Good 2 Be True</a>, thankful that fans support not only headliners Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla aka KathNiel but all the other characters as well. They love to read social media comments, satisfied with how their hard work pays off by the amount of entertainment viewers get through the show.Even they had no idea their tandem as single mom Margie Fajardo and kind-hearted cop Captain Rafael Rosales in the series would blow up this huge. Acting since the ‘80s, they have worked on several projects together and played all sorts of characters, but mostly in dramas, the most recent of which was Jericho Rosales and Arci Munoz’s <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/magpahanggangwakas">“Magpahanggang Wakas.”</a> Doing a rom-com with each other is something new to them, and likely why viewers are shipping them for the first time after all these years.“When we started the show, we were just like, wala lang. Palagi kaming magkasama ni Cris mga teenagers pa lang kami,” Gelli looks back. Cris seconded, “Mga MMK namin dati, marami-rami na rin. Akala lang namin it’s just going to be one of those.”Their long-established professional relationship plays a great part in mounting their on-screen romance. It helped delete the awkwardness, as Gelli muses, “Sa tanda ba naman namin na ito, magkakaroon pa kami ng barriers? Sa dami ng pinagdaanan nating trabaho?”She continues, “Wala kasi kaming inhibitions, malaking bagay ‘yun. Si Cris kasi very open siya tapos alam kong game siya. May ibang kapareha kang makakasama na medyo hindi sila open sa collaboration or meron silang malisya kapag masyado kayong nagko-collaborate. Eh, wala kaming gano’n. So, kahit ano, sky’s the limit with regards to, gawin natin ‘to or hanggang dito tayo.”They’re comfortable swapping ideas with each other and the creatives. The best example would be their characters&#x27; accidental kiss, which took long discussions behind the scenes. Cris echoes Gelli’s statement about the scene’s technical aspects, “Sila Direk, hinimay niya kung ano ‘yung timing, ano ‘yung feeling, ano dapat ang makita ng audience. ‘Pag hindi kami nag-a-agree dahil meron kaming ibang idea, nakikinig sila.” Gelli adds, “As actors, tuwang-tuwa kami kasi hindi lang kami umaarte, nakakapagbigay din kami ng input.” Although, their directors still have the final say.It also helps that they are aware of each other’s strengths as actors. Cris, for instance, knows Gelli&#x27;s knack for comedy, thus he asks for her opinion in certain scenes. Asked how their families react to their ‘love team,’ Gelli mentions that Cris and her husband Ariel are good friends in real life, thus it wasn’t an issue for them. Ariel and his guy friends are huge fans of the show. Even Gelli’s sister Janice De Belen, who is rather busy, finds time to watch the teleserye religiously.It’s easier for Gelli’s part since her husband is also an actor. But for Cris, who has a non-showbiz wife, and a ‘jealous’ daughter, it took bigger adjustments. At first, he would tell his wife which episodes to skip but the problem is she still receives forwarded clips and photos. Then, eventually, she managed to understand and get used to it. “Hindi naman namin pinag-awayan. Respeto ko lang sa kanya na ayaw niya,” he says. Cris had avoided kissing scenes in the past years but he agreed to do it in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/2good2betrue">2 Good 2 Be True</a> since it’s a romantic-comedy and the kiss wasn’t intimate. Now his family has become solid fans of the show, so much they try to peek into the script on Cris’ gadget, but he doesn’t want to spoil them.More than the adorable ‘kilig,’ Gelli and Cris’ characters feature serious lessons about romantic relationships, especially to viewers their age. MarKap represents possibilities and second chances. They remind us that in love, “walang period.”Cris advises single people their age, “Don’t give up on love. Hangga’t may buhay, and as long as you’re free, as long as wala kang pamilyang sisirain, huwag kayong magbibigay ng ending sa sarili ninyong love story.” He says love is a great feeling, a beautiful gift that must be enjoyed.Meanwhile, Gelli says, “Habang may buhay, pwedeng umibig. Basta you have your priorities in order at hindi ninyo nakakalimutan ang mga dapat ninyong asikasuhin, you can love everyday if you want.”Aware of the stigma attached to single parents dating again, she underscores, “At our age, ‘yung may kasama ka sa buhay, importante ‘yun kasi ang mga anak mo lalaki ‘yan at lahat. So, when you find love, why not give it a shot? Kasi iisa lang ang buhay natin, eh. Ano? Magtitiis-tiisan pa ba tayo? When you have the chance to be happy, will you give it up para lang hindi masabi ng ibang tao na ‘ang tanda mo na, umiibig ka pa?’”About their characters, Gelli and Cris hinted at exciting MarKap scenes ahead. So, don’t miss an episode of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/2good2betrue">2 Good 2 Be True,</a> weeknights, on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-channel-livestream-12685">Kapamilya Channel,</a> <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710">Kapamilya Online Live</a><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710">, </a>and A2Z.

Gelli de Belen and Cris Villanueva finally got the chance to react to their popular and unexpected tandem in “2 Good 2 Be True.”