MANILA, Philippines - Marian Rivera can blabber to no end about the things that matter to her — her beloved Lola, her Instagram account, her first-ever produced movie Kung Fu Divas and her love for cooking, but when it comes to her long-time boyfriend Dingdong Dantes, she is evasive.
At the presscon of Talk ‘N Text, in which Marian renewed her contract as brand ambassador (she first inked an endorsement deal with the value brand of Smart Communications, Inc. in 2009), she tried her best to evade the one question that lingers in everyone’s mind: When is she and Dingdong going to tie the knot?
“Naku, kayo talaga kaya nauudlot eh, tanong kayo ng tanong, saka na yan, work first. I still have a lot of projects to finish and there’s still a lot to do. More opportunities and blessings are coming my way, yun muna. Let’s not talk about that first,†she said.
According to persistent rumors, Dindong has already proposed to Marian last year and a wedding date isn’t far behind. The Kapuso actress also refused to say how long they’d been together.
When asked what her advice is for couples who are in a long-term relationship and who would like to make it last, Marian was quick to say she’s not the right person to dish out relationship advice on what will work out or not.
“The truth is, I’m not an authority to give advice on how to make a relationship last. Wala akong karapatan mag-advise sa relationship but yes, ang kailangan dyan basics like love, trust and respect. Those are the ingredients that make a successful relationship successful. But I think the reason why Dingdong and I have lasted for so many years now is that we jibe on of lot of things. Swak na swak kami ni Dingdong sa lahat ng bagay,†she said.
Marian counts Dingdong as one of her greatest accomplishments in her personal life. “I’m a winner everyday because I have Dingdong Dantes in my life. Dingdong is there for me, he guides me and truly loves me,†she said.
If she’s particularly happy these days, it’s also because Kung Fu Divas is now showing in theaters nationwide. (Talk ‘N Text also sponsored special screenings of the movie as a reward for loyal subscribers.) Marian said she can finally heave a sigh after all the hard work, the taping until the wee hours of the morning and the monstrous budget that went with producing Kung Fu Divas. Despite the difficulties in mounting Kung Fu Divas, Marian said she’s still willing to produce other movies because she had a grand time doing it.
“Kung Fu Divas is the biggest film I’ve made, really. Producing this flick has been encouraging and a great learning experience. I feel that after doing this movie, I can say that I can do it all over again. If the people, if my fans will clamor for a sequel, well, why not, I’m open to producing a movie again,†Marian said.
For her first film venture, Marian is proud that they’ve used state-of-the art technology to enhance the fight scenes and make it more realistic. She added that they didn’t leave any stone unturned in their bid to make it a world-class movie. Now, their efforts are paying off because the movie is slated to be shown in other Asian countries as well, like Vietnam and Cambodia, where Marian has a huge following because of her teleseryes.
Although she would not disclose the amount she spent on Kung Fu Divas, it was evident that she spent so much. One of the valuable things she learned while producing the movie was how to save on production costs. “Even if I was tired, I would tell ate Ai, we have to finish this scene because if we will not, it will extend until the next day and then we’ll have to shell out another P1.5M for one day. So whatever scenes we can squeeze in a day we try to, even if I lack sleep or feel dead tired, I sacrificed a lot so we can finish the scenes and stay on the budget,†Marian told reporters.
Marian will next be busy with an upcoming teleserye and a sitcom on GMA 7. “For my teleserye, it will be a heavy drama. I can’t disclose yet my leading man but yes, I had a hand in picking him because he suits the role. But what I’m really excited about is my upcoming sitcom because it has a different twist, I will be dancing on the show,†she said.
One thing she also always looks forward to is posting on her Instagram account because not only does it serve as a good platform to connect with her fans, it also offers them a glimpse of her everyday, normal life. “With Instagram, they see me as the real Marian, get to know me, what I like in life, my loved ones, my personality through the pictures I post. The food that I cook because I really love cooking. Pictures of my Lola and me and Dingdong,†she said.
Marian also doesn’t mind about posers who pass themselves off as Marian in social media. “Let them be, let them use my name for as long as they use it for the good of others as long as they don’t use the name Marian Rivera to hurt anyone or fool anyone, it’s okay,†Marian said.
In dealing with her bashers, she has learned the art of “dedma.†While she’s a bit pissed off that people continue to stereotype her as bakya and pang-masa, the Talk ‘N Text ambassador generally doesn’t care. “Walang masama maging masa. Ako proud ako na minamahal ako ng masa. Walang masama dun, pare-pareha lang tayong mga tao,†she said.