MANILA — After becoming a household name as one-half of a popular love team, and cementing his leading man status with a second successful pairing, Joshua Garcia feels he has maximized the experience of being presented as a tandem.

Garcia formerly had a reel and real-life romance with Julia Barretto, dubbed “JoshLia,” spanning four years and several major projects; and then had a short-lived but well-received team-up with Janella Salvador, known as “JoshNella,” which was launched via “The Killer Bride.”

Nowadays, Garcia finds himself going solo, cast opposite different leading ladies in diverse offerings.

Notably, he’s with Charlie Dizon in the just-premiered ABS-CBN teleserye “Viral Scandal,” and Jane de Leon in the upcoming superhero series “Darna.” Farther ahead, he’ll work for the first time with Daniela Stranner in “Keys to the Heart.”

Having experienced both being in a love team and being a universal leading man, Garcia has enough to go by to compare those career paths.

“Kapag love team kasi, siyempre mas gusto ng tao or ng fans mo or ng supporters mo na kayo lang dalawa palagi, ‘di ba? You don’t get the chance to work with other leading ladies,” he said.

“The good thing about ‘yung solo ka, may makakatrabaho kang ibang artista, mas malawak ‘yung matututunan mo sa co-artists mo. Hindi naman din ako masyado nahirapan, siguro kasi marami na rin akong naka-partner. Lahat sila, may natututunan ako. Iba-iba kasi sila ng atake,” Garcia explained.

Speaking with ABS-CBN News, Garcia had a ready answer when asked whether he now prefers to have a fixed screen partner, similar to “JoshLia,” or continue his streak of being paired with different actresses.

“Siyempre mas okay ‘yung iba-iba ‘yung partner. Hindi naman lahat, meant to be na may solo love team lang. Hindi lahat nabibigyan ng pagkakataon na ganoon,” he said.

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“Para sa akin, okay na ako sa sitwasyon ko ngayon, na iba-iba ang nakakatrabaho ko. Parang more chances of winning kumbaga! Kasi mas marami kang matututunan, at iba’t ibang tao ‘yung makakasalamuha mo. Iba’t ibang talent at acting ang mai-experience mo,” Garcia said.

In the case of “Viral Scandal,” for instance, Garcia relishes performing with Dizon, who had a breakout year in 2020 with her award-winning portrayal in “Fan Girl.”

“Naa-appreciate ko si Charlie as an actor. Focused siya sa ginagawa niya… As an actor, nagbibigay siya, hindi siya madamot,” he said.

Beyond their common passion for acting, Garcia shared he has developed a friendship with Dizon, whom he described as the life of the party in their quarantined production.

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“Naa-appreciate ko rin siya sa set. Para siyang buhay ng set, e, kasi walang araw na hindi siya nagsasalita. Siya ‘yung pinaka-talkative sa buong set, in a good way. Ang bigat na rin kasi — siyempre nasa bubble kayo, malayo sa family niyo. Iba rin ‘yung may buhay din sa set,” he said.

Fresh off the premiere of “Viral Scandal,” Garcia entered Monday another “bubble,” this time for “Darna.” The latter will take months, given its scale, but already, Garcia is looking forward to his next role and the next set of cast members he’ll get to work with.

With consecutive projects where he is cast as the male lead, Garcia has understandably been dubbed by fans and casual viewers alike as the next ultimate leading man, following the likes of Piolo Pascual and Paulo Avelino.

“Ini-embrace ko na lang,” he said, when asked whether he has mentally processed that title. “Iyon ang nakikita ng tao, at hindi naman siya masama, so might as well embrace mo na lang.”

“Nakakataba ng puso. Sana hindi tumaba ‘yung ulo ko!” he quipped.

Turning serious, he added, “Mas nagkakaroon ako ng drive umarte, magtrabaho pa lalo, at pasayahin ang mga tao.”