MANILA – Claudine Barretto said working with Judy Ann Santos has always been in her bucket list.

This, amid public perception that they are not friends due to their supposed screen rivalry early in their careers.

“Judy Ann and I, people think that we don’t get along or we never got along. But the truth is that – you know even nung debut niya, right after, I remember that was a Sunday and everything was closed, the after-party was in my condominium,” Barretto told Boy Abunda in an interview.

Barretto mentioned that during their younger years, when they both were at the height of their success, she and Santos went through many experiences together.

“Ang dami naming pinagdaanan ni Judy Ann. It’s just that, during that time, para kaming mag boyfriend-girlfriend ni Judy Ann. Bawal kami makita sa labas kasi ayaw ni Tito Alfie (Lorenzo) kasi dapat daw ala Nora-Vilma,” she explained, referring to the late former manager of Santos.

Nonetheless, Barretto said Santos is someone she will forever be grateful to.

“I would never forget what Judy Ann did for me, that’s why she is who she is. At my lowest point, when I also transferred from Channel 2 to Channel 7, and in one of her interviews, they said she was the teleserye queen. She said, ‘No. Claudine and I share this title.’ I will never forget that till the day I die,” she said.

“Our dream is to be able to do a movie together… Queens support queens.”