The cast members of Viva One’s six-part series Deadly Love were asked during a press conference if they encountered “deadly love” experiences in their past romances.
Jaclyn Jose and Louise delos Reyes admitted that they had been in toxic relationships before.
“Yes. I’ve experienced it. It was a very scary chapter of my life regarding love. It was really deadly,” shared Jaclyn. “But it’s all done now. And it’s all… Everything is done. That was some time ago so I was able to recover (from it). But it happened to me.”
It occurred to the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress once in her life and she was able to escape that “very, very scary” incident.
She described that encounter as a “matter of life and death in any way (and) form” but did not elaborate as to the extent of danger she was involved with.
Louise, on the other hand, recalled, “Maybe you all know what I went through regarding my love life even before I joined Viva. Maybe it was not that super deadly but you will reach a point na sobrang sakit na parang gusto mo ng mamatay. Ganun sigurong klaseng deadly love.”
“I love my life and my career. Although napunta na ata siya sa deadly career, but I was able to recover from it and I learned so much from that period of my life,” she continued.
The stars were also asked on the factors that would make them end a relationship.
For Louise, what would make her break up with someone is if her partner becomes “controlling.”
“I was in a previous relationship with someone na medyo may age gap,” she shared. “So alam mo yun parang super naging controlling that it (went to) a point na feeling nung tao he knows everything because he went through all of it or for whatever reason. Pero yun nga nakakasakal lang kasi na hindi na siya makatao like, ‘I’m still your partner. I’m still your girlfriend.’”
Louise stressed that “respect with boundaries and personal space” should be maintained in a romantic partnership. “Because even if you are a couple, you should still have respect for my personal space,” she said.
For his part, McCoy de Leon didn’t experience love becoming “deadly.” Rather, he said, “When I fall in love, I give my all — my time and effort. Everything. That’s how I love. Maybe it just becomes deadly pagka-nabibigo ako,” adding that he doesn’t want his partner to “suffer” in their relationship.
“I’m a masochist (when it comes to love),” he said with a laugh. “Actually, I don’t believe in red flags because I know that there are people who are not really perfect when they love someone. Maybe it just becomes red flag for me when I know that it’s no longer worth it. Ganun katindi.”
“I know that every person meron talagang mali, may something when you fall in love… When it is not worth it, that’s the time that (you end it).”
When asked to define what makes a relationship no longer worth it, he replied, “There’s a lot. I can’t elaborate but you will feel it kapag hindi ka na ganito. It feels like that. I can’t detail (everything).”
Marco Gumabao, on the other hand, “feels lucky” that he didn’t come across any kind of destructive relationship.
“Actually, I didn’t experience any toxic or deadly love relationship,” he asserted. “I feel lucky na walang ganun or ‘di umaabot sa ganun,” he added before quipping, “Siguro patay na patay na love meron. Joke lang. Hahaha!”
The actor’s “trigger point” in terminating a relationship is a dominating girlfriend.
“For me, my deal breaker is yung ayoko talaga na sinasakal talaga ako. And maybe yung sakal, it stems from lack of trust,” he said.
“I had a past relationship na umabot sa ganun, she was asking weird stuff from me. I think that’s where I drew the line. That’s the red flag for me.”
The romantic murder-mystery Deadly Love also stars Raffy Tejada, Simon Ibarra, Arvic Tan, Bob Jbeili, Andrew Muhlach, Pamela Ortiz, and Harriette Damole. It is helmed by Derick Cabrido and created by Enrico Santos.
The series is now streaming on Viva One with new episodes every Monday.
According to press notes, Deadly Love follows the story of Tessa (Louise), a sheltered rural girl who falls in love with Amir (Marco). She introduces him as her boyfriend to her father Julio (Raffy) and mother Marga (Jaclyn), who seem very protective of her. Not long after, Amir goes missing.
Benjo (McCoy), the policeman assigned to the case, then tells Tessa his devastating discovery: Her parents are using fake names and they used to be hired killers. Now, their former boss wants them killed, and they suspect that Amir is the one tasked to pursue them.
Meanwhile, Tessa is determined to find Amir whom she believes is still alive. But Benjo now considers Amir a rival for Tessa’s love.
A series of questions will then arise amid the secrets and lies. Who can Tessa trust? Is she really safe with Benjo? Was she ever truly loved by Amir? Must she condemn or forgive Julio and Marga? And if they are indeed her parents, with their blood running through her veins, is she also capable of taking someone’s life?