WilBea: ‘We’re more than a love team’

MANILA, Philippines — Bea Binene and Wilbert Ross have rated their real-life closeness a perfect 10, but the actors behind the popular WilBea pairing are not about to let their personal relationship become the main selling point of their love team.

When asked what was keeping the stars of the Filipino adaptation of “Pee Mak” from becoming a couple in real life, given their natural chemistry and growing closeness, Wilbert shared why they would rather have the public appreciate them for their work than speculate about their relationship.

“Actually, ayaw namin talaga mag-circulate (the topic) sa ganitong mga bagay. More on the love team, the working relationship namin. Kasi ang dami naming pwedeng gawin. We’re more than a love team,” Wilbert said during his and Bea’s appearance on The Philippine STAR podcast “Real Talk.”

“Nagustuhan niyo kami sa mga performance namin, sa mga series namin, sa acting namin... at sa personality namin. So ayaw naming umikot doon (real score) lagi. Kasi pag nag-start na mapasok yung bagay na yun, wala, napapasok na lahat.”

For Bea, who has previously experienced being part of a showbiz love team, keeping certain things private is something she has learned to value.

“Siguro po, ang natutunan ko is mas maganda na yung mga ganong bagay should be left out of the publicity, the promotion. As much as possible, sana hindi siya maging source of ingay as promotion because we’re not naman... We’re promoting our projects, di ba? And I think that’s something that we were very clear naman from the start talaga. Kung ano yung dapat nasa public, yun yung nasa public.”

Both also acknowledged that they’re not the typical love team that constantly displays sweetness during public appearances. They do not want to feel pressured into showing affection just because they’re an onscreen pair. Nevertheless, their answers during this interview offered glimpses of a work relationship built on mutual admiration and genuine concern for each other.

It’s been more than a year since WilBea was officially launched by Viva as a love team in August 2025.

When asked to rate how close they have since become, on a scale of one to 10, Wilbert was quick to give it a perfect score. After some playful prodding, Bea agreed, saying: “10 din naman po.”

The two have come a long way from barely knowing each other before their first major project together.

Bea recalled that they had little opportunity to interact before being paired in the University Series adaptation, “Golden Scenery of Tomorrow.”

They had previously worked together in the horror film “Nocturno,” but their scenes were limited. “Yung ‘Nocturno’ po kasi, parang dalawang shooting days lang yata kami magkasama. And parang that time kasi, nung hindi pa namin na-start yung ‘Golden Scenery of Tomorrow,’ or maybe, rather, the University Series, parang we came from different worlds talaga.

“Even before Viva, I came from GMA, he came from ABS(CBN). Nung nasa Viva rin, very seldom yung chances of meeting each other.”

Their partnership eventually gained momentum through “Golden Scenery of Tomorrow,” which already had an established following among readers of the original Wattpad series. Looking back now, Bea said she never expected their pairing to receive such a positive and enthusiastic response, particularly from fans who had supported the characters even before the screen adaptation.
Their popularity has since translated into other projects, including “Love U Lots” and their first movie together, “Pee Mak,” now showing in cinemas nationwide. But perhaps more revealing than their onscreen chemistry are the qualities they have come to appreciate about each other even away from the cameras.

When asked what he liked most about Bea as a person, Wilbert initially mentioned her professionalism and dedication to acting. But when pressed to talk about her qualities outside work, he said, “Very gentle, loving. Mapagmahal talaga siya.”

As an example, Wilbert revealed that Bea enjoys cooking for people around her. “Masarap siya magluto.” When asked which of her dishes was his favorite, he answered, “Korean Mechado.”

He further described Bea as someone who naturally looks after other people.

“Super maalaga. Iniisip niya yung mga tao sa paligid niya. Lagi siyang nagpapakain din ng cookies sa mga tao. Parang yung love niya talagang na-e-extend sa mga tao sa paligid niya,” he said.

The actress had equally appreciative words for her perennial co-star. “He’s very passionate with life. He’s very passionate with his art. Tsaka masipag. Ang dami niyang gustong gawin sa buhay dahil masipag siya,” Bea said.

What has also made their working relationship easier is the level of comfort that they presently share. Wilbert explained, “Para sa akin, we pushed each other up. Every scene. Kasi comfortable kami... mas madali sa amin, lalo yung mga heavy scenes.

“And then, the familiarity. Sanay na sanay na kami kung paano yung working relationship namin. So mas madali sa amin yung mga bagay-bagay. More natural, more effective, I think.”

Bea, meanwhile, praised how involved Wilbert is in their projects. She said, “He’s very hands-on. Even with promotions, with marketing, he’s very hands-on. Kunwari, sa mga eksena, with his songs, ‘di ba, gumagawa (siya)? Minsan, hindi ko alam kung nagkakataon or talagang sinasadya niyang gumawa ng kanta for a project na saktong-sakto to be used in a project.

“He’s very hands-on with the scenes. He’s very collaborative with the whole team. So alam mo yun, he’s not… walang pake.”

Amidst successive projects, another interesting revelation was their habit of checking on each other’s happiness. Asked about reports that they regularly ask each other whether they’re still happy, Wilbert said that these conversations have become natural to them. “Sa lahat ‘to, like with work, parang casual na ‘pag magkasama kami. Lalo na magkasama kami sa maraming bagay ngayon, sa business, sa work. So parang, happy ka ba sa nangyayari? Sa business, happy ka ba?

“Sa launching natin, happy ka ba dito? Happy ka ba diyan? Yun yung parang words of affirmation. Just to check lang. Kasi pag hindi, sabihin mo kung ano, tapos anong pwede nating gawin.”

But being this close does not mean they always see eye to eye. In fact, when asked if they had ever experienced misunderstandings, Bea readily admitted, “Palagi po, actually. Kasi opposites kami.”

She further said that they have different approaches to situations and can both be firm when expressing their opinions. “And also in dealing with things. Pareho kaming dalawa na kapag may point kami, we will really make a point..”

Despite their differences, the two value being able to discuss matters openly. Those discussions also extend to their business partnership, Sunset Avenue, their online merchandise and accessories business.

They recalled how, during the launch of their online store, they were still on the set of “Love U Lots” and would check their sales figures between takes. The positive reception from their supporters encouraged them, although they admitted that their busy schedules have sometimes made running a business challenging. For now, they are taking things at a manageable pace while exploring the possibility of expanding their venture.

While their closeness — for one, rarely do you encounter a love team who are also business partners — continues to fuel hopes among fans that it might develop into a real-life romance, Bea believes there should be a clear distinction between what audiences see in their projects and their personal lives. Asked about their thoughts on the Philippines’ strong love-team shipping culture, she said she understands that fans naturally become invested in seeing their favorite onscreen couples together.

“And sometimes, it’s really part of the community. Lahat naman tayo may karapatang mag-voice ng kanya-kanyang opinion, may karapatan tayong maniwala sa kung anong gusto nating paniwalaan.”

However, she also offered a gentle reminder to those who follow and love their pairing: “Siguro, just ship responsibly.”

Catch WilBea’s “Real Talk” soon on The Philippine STAR’s YouTube channel. Check out the QR code on this page for their fun interview.