Speculation is growing that actor and basketball player Ricci Rivero, 27, may be the new suitor of Juliana Gomez, 25, daughter of actor-politician Richard Gomez and Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez.
The rumors gained traction following Richard Gomez’s interview on ‘Fast Talk With Boy Abunda’ on November 24, 2025, where he revealed that Juliana currently has admirers after ending her previous relationship.
“Meron nanliligaw ngayon. Alam ko nag-break sila nung isang boyfriend niya,” Richard shared. “Pero a few months ago, parang may nanliligaw ulit. Umaaligid-aligid.”
Richard recalled a moment when he learned his daughter was having dinner with a man, and another occasion when Juliana brought the same person to a family dinner.
“Tapos one time, may dinner kami, isinama, e. ‘Ah, yan pala ‘yun,’” he said, without naming the individual involved.
While Richard described himself as a not-so-strict father, he emphasized that he continues to remind Juliana to set boundaries.
“Just be happy lang and alam mo naman yung limitations mo. Dalaga ka, maganda ka, hindi ka pa kasal, so may limits,” he said.
Netizens and observers were quick to speculate that the unnamed suitor could be Ricci Rivero, especially after he was spotted in Thailand supporting Juliana during her fencing match at the ongoing 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok and Chonburi. Ricci was seen alongside Claudia Barretto cheering for Juliana, surprising many since he is not part of the Philippine basketball delegation for the SEA Games.
Photos and videos of Ricci attending Juliana’s fencing event circulated online, further fueling talk that the two may be getting close. This marked one of the first times the pair were publicly seen together.
There appears to be no issue surrounding the possibility of Ricci courting Juliana. Richard previously confirmed that his daughter had broken up with her former boyfriend, fellow fencer Miggy Bautista, several months ago. Likewise, Ricci has long been separated from his former girlfriend, former beauty queen and Los Baños, Laguna councilor Leren Bautista. Their split reportedly happened over a year ago and was said to be amicable, with the two remaining on good terms.
Ricci was also previously linked to actress Andrea Brillantes.
Since news broke that Ricci supported Juliana at the SEA Games, many netizens have commented that the two look good together, noting that, much like her father during his matinee idol days, Juliana’s rumored suitor is also tall, dark, and handsome.
As of this writing, neither Ricci nor Juliana has confirmed the nature of their relationship.
