Former matinee idol Bernard Palanca reflected on one of the darkest chapters of his life — his battle with drug addiction — in a heartfelt interview on ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’ aired Thursday, May 8.
The ‘Slay’ actor, who rose to fame in the ‘90s as part of the popular heartthrob group The Hunks alongside Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo, and Carlos Agassi, candidly spoke about how substance abuse derailed his career and life.
“If it’s possible to go back, I would definitely go back to the very first day that I tried doing something,” Bernard shared. “I wouldn’t do it at all, because that was the start. That caused already the rest of the way. If I didn’t take the first puff, I don’t think my life would have gone in that direction at all.”
Palanca stepped away from the limelight during his struggle and eventually entered rehabilitation. The actor has since turned his life around and credits his journey for helping him mature and learn valuable lessons.
Now, Bernard is back on screen as part of the cast of ‘Slay’, GMA Network’s first-ever Viu Original series, where he stars alongside Gabbi Garcia, Julie Anne San Jose, Ysabel Ortega, Mikee Quintos, and Derrick Monasterio.
The actor is also a father to two sons — one with actress Meryll Soriano and another with Jerika Ejercito.
Despite the pain of his past, Bernard said he finds strength in sharing his story, hoping to help others avoid the same path.
