“I still love Claudine,” admitted actor Mark Anthony Fernandez on Tuesday, January 11, although it was not the same kind of affection 26 years ago.
In the virtual media conference for their comeback movie Deception, Fernandez said he appreciates Claudine Barretto as an actress and friend. However, the actor later revealed that he still has a crush on her.
“As an actress, as a friend. Crush-wise hindi mawawala ang pagka-crush ko sa kanya. Kahit ano pa yung situation basta lagi ko siyang crush,” he clarified.
The two had a relationship when they were teens.
The actress also believes that “first love never dies” given that Fernandez was her first boyfriend at age 16.
Their last project was Mangarap Ka in 1996 before eventually calling it quits due to scandals and controversies.
But the former lovers, despite not having a proper closure in their relationship, were never enemies.
“We never had a problem with each other. We never spoke ill of each other—ever,” said Barretto in a previous presscon for the movie.
Fernandez also agreed, saying, “We have always liked each other even if we weren’t together anymore.”
With their respective families, Barretto and Fernandez are making their comeback to the movie industry through Deception.
The movie is about an actress who just got out of prison after committing patricide and arson. She then tries to find her son and make up for the lost time.
Directed by esteemed director Joel Lamangan and under the production of Borracho Films, the movie will be available for streaming on Vivamax, January 28.
