MANILA, Philippines — Months after she and basketball player Sol Mercado called off their engagement, Denise Laurel is still trying to be whole again. It is not easy, but the actress is thankful she has work to turn to.
“I was whole before I met him. Then I became half (since she and Sol got engaged). Now, I’m learning to be whole again. This show is helping me,” Denise, referring to her new ABS-CBN suspense-drama “The Better Half,” said in a recent press con.
She refused to reveal why she and Sol ended their long-running relationship.
“No, we didn’t get tired of each other. He was the one who initiated (the breakup). Toward the end, it was on and off (for us). The final word was from him, but we’re friends. In fact, he hang out with my son last night,” shared the star.
Her voice bore no trace of bitterness as she described how peaceful she feels, “because everything in my life is as it should be.”
She and Sol are talking. And her six-year-old son, Alejandro, understands. The boy and his words of comfort have become her source of strength.
Denise did not say a word. But Alejandro sensed how sad his mom was. So, he tried to cheer her up.
Denise recalled his words: “Mom it’s okay. It’s like when I have a stomach ache. Sometimes it’s painful. Then, the pain disappears and returns. Sometimes it doesn’t come back. You’ll be okay because you’re strong.”
Even if she wanted to, Denise did everything she could to keep herself from crying in front of her son. She had to live up to his impression of her.
Now, all she wants is to be a good mom. Looking for another love is out of the question. Besides, Denise knows it is not her who will decide when the right time for love is, or if a short engagement is better than the long-term one she had.
“One thing we should remember is that it’s not our timing; it’s God’s. Things go wrong once we say this is what we’re going to do. It’s got to be God’s plan for you. Nothing is too short nor too long (for God). Everything has a purpose.”
That is why Denise called “The Better Half,” where she plays Bianca, Marco’s (Carlo Aquino) wife, a “present from ABS-CBN.” It will break the dam of emotions she reined in for months after the breakup.
“I started worrying, because I’m an actress, and I can’t afford to be numb with emotions. I have to be very into my emotions so I can pour it all into my character.”
Denise explained that her breakup is making it hard for her to draw the line between the personal and the professional. Suddenly, she feels numb – emotionless – a big no-no for actresses like her. It is a first for Denise, who never faced this problem before.
And that is why she admitted Bianca is her most difficult role. This is also why Denise is grateful to her director, Jeffrey Jeturian, and co-stars for their patience and assurance that she can do it.
“I’m trying to be the actress I used to be. I was very disciplined, no matter what happened to me,” Denise said.
The good news is she is not alone. Denise has friends and the whole industry behind her to help her get back on her feet again.