Now, Star Cinema is launching them as a solo love team in Forevermore, another feel-good romance so common in local films these days. The title was taken from a hit Side A band tune which is also the movie’s theme song.
The film is about to be shown amidst the rumor that Kristine has actually broken up with Jericho because of his messy affair with a model with whom he reportedly has a love child. At the presscon of Forevermore, Kristine laughs off the rumor and stresses that nothing has changed at all between her and Echo.
"We’re still happy together as close friends," she says. "We’re okay, walang pinagbago. He’s still very special for me at ganoon din ako sa kanya."
Isn’t she just claiming this because admitting that they’re off might have a negative effect on the prospective box office take of their movie? The story of Claudine Barretto and late Rico Yan is still fresh in the minds of the press. They claimed they were still on then, even if they had really broken up four months earlier, and the lie immensely helped their film, Got 2 Believe, at the tills.
"In the case of Echo and I, we have yet naman to formally admit that we’re on," Kristine points out. "We can pretend that we’re going steady to help promote the movie but we’re not doing that. Pero kahit sa friendship naman, there are conflicts every now and then. Nagkakatampuhan din kami paminsan-minsan sa set, lalo na nga when we consider that we’re both moody, but we patch things up right away because we do value our love team."
How would she describe Echo?
"As a friend, he’s very caring and supportive," she says.
Would he qualify as her ideal man? "Puede rin. I can say na swak na swak talaga ang ugali namin sa isa’t isa. But I don’t think I’m ready for a serious relationship right now. What I want to make my priority is to continue my studies. I’m taking up some home study course at ABE this coming semester."
As Inah in Pangako Sa’Yo, she sheds tears very easily that some viewers think she must have had a lot of unhappy experiences in my life, making it a cinch for her to cry at will.
"Not really. I had a happy childhood. But I’m really emotional so I find it easy to cry on camera. Also, I have to be on my toes because I have first rate co-actors like Eula Valdez, Jean Garcia, and Jericho himself, so I always try my best to portray my role well. I really take my craft seriously."
How did she feel when, in the last Star Awards for Television, Eula and Jean were both nominated as Best Drama Actress (with Eula winning) while Jericho was nominated as Best Actor and she, who‘s actually the leading lady, didn’t get any nomination at all?
"I took it positively," she replies. That means I really have to work harder so that I’d at least be nominated next time. But I really felt sad for Jericho when he lost as Best Actor because I know how much he puts in his role every time we have a taping. But I’m very happy for Eula, who plays my mom in the story, when she won as Best Actress, and I’m also happy for the show when it won as Best Drama Series."
How true is the story that her parents are against Jericho and this is the reason why she left their home and rented her own condo unit?
"My father works in Canada so let’s not involve him in this," says Kristine. "My mom is not against Jericho either. She just reminds me that I’m too young at 18 to be seriously involved with anyone and I’m inclined to agree with her. The reason I got my own condo unit is because I want to experience being independent, and I found out for myself that it’s very difficult. I have to manage my own financial obligations, do my own laundry and cook my own food. Mahirap pala! So after only two months, I went back to our townhouse in New Manila. But my mom, my younger sister and brother are migrating to Canada in November, and me and my older sister, Kathleen, will be going with them for a while. But we’ll both return here after a couple of weeks dahil sayang naman ang trabaho namin dito. I now enjoy what I’m doing in showbiz and I want to go on while good opportunities continue to come my way."
In Forevermore, Kristine plays a provinciana in a mango orchard owned by the family of Echo, a city boy who is forced to return home when his lolo, played by Nestor de Villa, gets sick. They are drawn to each other, but Echo already has a girlfriend, Michelle Bayle.
The mangoes in the farm used to be so sweet, but they turn sour when his lola dies. The belief is that they will regain their sweetness only when true love blooms again in their farm, and this comes true when Kristine falls hopelessly in love with Echo. Forevermore is the directorial debut of writer John Lazatin who Kristine describes as someone very capable.
"He is so cool on the set so there’s no tension at all while shooting," she says. "He’s also young kasi so he treats us just like his friends. He allows us to freely interpret our roles ourselves, but he always reminds to always be in character. I think he’ll turn out to be one of our better directors."