Nearly a decade after the AlDub phenomenon took the country by storm, actress and TV host Maine Mendoza has finally opened up about the real score between her and actor Alden Richards during their love team years.
In a newly released video on Eat Bulaga TVJ’s YouTube channel, Mendoza candidly admitted that she truly fell for her former onscreen partner.
“Ako, na-in love talaga ko kay Alden, vocal naman ako. Kahit sino naman ’yung magtanong sakin, sasagutin ko naman nang diretso. Na-in love ako sa kanya pero hindi siya nanligaw. Walang ganon,” she said.
According to Mendoza, Richards was well aware of her feelings.
“Alam din niya, kasi kung vocal ako sa lahat ng tao, pati kay Alden mismo. Alam ni Alden ’yun, sinabi ko naman sa kanya rekta, pero hindi siya nanligaw,” she added.
She even recalled directly asking him about his feelings.
“Tinanong ko siya noon eh, kasi ang straightforward ko naman na tao. Tinanong ko siya rekta, ‘Sabihin mo na sakin, ano bang nararamdaman mo for me?’ … Ang sabi lang niya, ‘’Di ko pwedeng sabihin sa ’yo kasi mawawala ’yung magic.’”
Despite the unanswered feelings, Mendoza shared that they eventually found closure:
“Grabe ’yung relationship din namin ni Alden off cam. Pero may closure naman kaming dalawa. Napag-usapan namin lahat.”
Richards, for his part, previously admitted in ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’ in October 2023 that he also fell in love with Mendoza at the height of their AlDub fame.
When asked if he fell for Maine, Richards replied: “Yes, hypocrite po ako kung hindi. Ayoko pong sabihing alam niya but I did confess.”
He added that he remains grateful to Mendoza and ‘Eat Bulaga!’ for the opportunities the AlDub tandem brought into his career.
“Ang daming opportunities na dumating sa buhay ko because of it [AlDub]. I’m very grateful to Maine.”
AlDub first captured the hearts of Filipinos in 2015 during the ‘Kalyeserye’ segment of ‘Eat Bulaga!’, with Mendoza playing ‘Yaya Dub’ opposite Richards. Their accidental pairing quickly became a cultural phenomenon, dominating social media trends and even filling the Philippine Arena for a special event.
The two eventually pursued separate paths in 2018 — Richards in teleseryes and films, and Mendoza in comedy shows like Daddy’s Gurl with Vic Sotto.
Today, Mendoza is married to actor-politician Arjo Atayde, with whom she tied the knot in July 2023 in Baguio City, while Richards remains single.
