Paul Christian Ocampo

Tom Rodriguez shares why he almost turned down doing UnMarry: ‘It’s a very sensitive topic for me’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>When he was first offered the role of Angelica’s rich but problematic husband Stephen in the romantic drama <em>UnMarry</em>, actor Tom Rodriguez admitted he had some initial hesitation about doing a film that somehow echoed part of his real life experiences. After getting married to longtime girlfriend Carla Abellana in 2020, Tom filed for divorce in the US the following year. Currently, both parties have now moved on with their current non-showbiz partners in their respective lives.</p><p>“It’s a very sensitive topic for me din. But just reading the script and knowing that annulment wasn’t a gimmick in the film [made me accept it],” he said.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-41" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR9xWcGku9I/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A41%2C%22os%22%3A12363403.100000143%2C%22ls%22%3A115047.40000009537%2C%22le%22%3A115431.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="882" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-41" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/6/tom-rodriguez-reacts-to-carla-abellana-s-engagement-i-m-glad-we-re-all-moving-on-1600" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Tom Rodriguez reacts to Carla Abellana’s engagement: ‘I’m glad we’re all moving on’</strong></a></div><p>Tom acknowledge how tedious the process of annulment can be, also touching on his own experience.</p><p>“It just so happens to be a story that revolves around annulment, which is a story that happens a lot here sa Philippines. It’s very messy. Talagang magulo siya. Time-consuming talaga siya. ‘Yung iba nga, parang decades, hindi pa rin na-ga-grant. Kaya in a way, I feel — I don’t know if I can share — but I feel very fortunate that for my own situation, dahil dual citizen ako, I was lucky enough to get the chance to go through a divorce, which was relatively quicker. So in a way — I know it’s not an advocacy film; it’s a family film and it revolves around it —but if you can open some people’s eyes din to the limits of our legal system when it comes to annulment, kasi may relationship that ends and it is very painful for everyone involved. Pero relationships that must end, ‘yung andun na talaga sa dulo, ‘yung sinasabing freedom is deserved na and needed —sana there’s an easier way to achieve that. Kaya I was very eager to accept the role,” he explained.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-42" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRo_QhhlNTO/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A42%2C%22os%22%3A12363410.600000143%2C%22ls%22%3A115047.40000009537%2C%22le%22%3A115431.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="882" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-42" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-43" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DR36OTTku2A/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A43%2C%22os%22%3A12363425.900000095%2C%22ls%22%3A115047.40000009537%2C%22le%22%3A115431.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="752" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-43" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2015/12/12/fresh-scoops/carla-abellana-admits-tom-rodriguez-is-mr-right-ma-128107" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Carla Abellana admits Tom Rodriguez is Mr. Right material: ‘Nakikita ko yun sa kanya’</strong></a></div><p>Tom also shared some details about his character, who plays Angelica’s problematic husband Stephen in the film. “Actually, mas nakaka-relate ako sa character ni Celine (Angelica Panganiban) at saka ni Ivan (played by Zanjoe Marudo) eh. Playing Stephen, who is written to be very hate-able (laughs), para akong nag-ba-balancing act. I tried to approach it in a way that ‘this is still a human being’. Even if I don’t agree or don’t condone, I don’t want to give him a pass for how he expresses himself, kung ano ‘yung mga ginagawa niya sa pelikula. I wanted to understand why. Para sa akin, na-realize ko ‘yung driving force talaga ni Stephen is fear — fear and insecurity. He’s holding on to that image na nagiging mali na ‘yung kung paano hina-handle ‘yung pagpapakita niya ng love. ‘Yun na ‘yun.”</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-44" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRg_r93FdcZ/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A44%2C%22os%22%3A12364084.100000143%2C%22ls%22%3A115047.40000009537%2C%22le%22%3A115431.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="882" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-44" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2011/1/13/fresh-scoops/tom-rodriguez-says-its-not-hard-to-fall-in-love-wi-13837" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Tom Rodriguez says its not hard to fall in love with Melai Cantiveros</strong></a></div><p>Watch Tom Rodriguez in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry <em>UnMarry</em>, also starring Angelica Panganiban, Zanjoe Marudo, Eugene Domingo, Nico Antonio, and Solenn Heussaff. Directed by Jeffrey Jeturian. Produced by Quantum Films and CineKo Productions. <em>UnMarry</em> opens on December 25 in cinemas nationwide. </p>

<p>MMFF 2025 actor Tom Rodriguez talks about why he had second thoughts accepting the film UnMarry, which is about couples in the process of getting an annulment.</p>

MMFF 2025 actor Tom Rodriguez talks about why he had second thoughts accepting the film UnMarry, which is about couples in the process of getting an annulment.