Kim & Pepe share love lessons from MMK episode, real life

Love prevails regardless of social status. This is the message of Maalaala Mo Kaya’s (MMK) 14 Years of Love episode this Saturday led by theater actors Pepe Herrera and Kim Molina.

Based on a viral story online, MMK’s June 5 episode is about a young couple who proves that love knows no boundaries and “one’s status in life is not the basis of choosing who to fall in love.” Rose (played by Kim), an engineer, and JR (Pepe), a tricycle driver, fall in love but their relationship is mired in struggles and challenges.

During the online media conference last Monday, Kim and Pepe talked about love lessons learned from their characters and from real life.

“Love is unconditional,” said Pepe, who became a father last year to an adorable baby daughter with his non-showbiz wife, Sarah Mallari,“‘yung walang conditions (laughs). Always loving, always kind, always forgiving, always open, always embracing and accepting.”

As for his advice to people, who experience the same struggles as his character does, the 34-year-old comedian said, “Laughter is the best medicine and is the best weapon. Pinapatawa mo yung isang tao, napakalaking bagay na po ‘yun. Malaking liwanag ang naiibigay nun sa isang tao – nililigawan man o sa kaibigan.”

Kim, star of #Jowable and MOMOL Nights, emphasized the special connection she has with partner, Jerald Napoles, “Si Je kasi second boyfriend ko pa lang. Puro mga long-term mga boyfriends ko. I keep on talking about connections… the way my support system would help me, while I cope with the COVID-19 (pandemic). It’s the same thing with love.

“Kami ni Je, the reason why solid kami is because we connect with each other,” she added. “With everything I want in life and with everything that I believe in, with whatever goal he has, I believe in it because I connect with him. Kasi kung wala po ‘yun, paano mag-wo-work ‘yun di ba.”

Kim and Jerald have been together for almost seven years. Their paths crossed while doing Rak of Aegis. Kim’s MMK co-star Pepe was also part of the musical.

“It’s like having two hands holding each other,” continued Kim. “How are you gonna hold it tight if you’re not connecting?... yun yung No. 1 na natutunan ko all throughout my relationship with him.”

Asked about playing diverse roles and switching from one character to another, the 29-year-old actress replied, “Hindi naman po ako nahirapan (portraying various roles). Depende naman po yun sa script. Swerte naman po ako, galing ako sa theater. So iba iba naman po yung nagampanan namin sa teatro. Yung proseso, na-i-incorporate ko pa naman siya sa trabaho natin sa TV or sa films.”

Kim and Jerald are also set to premiere their new flick Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam, where the former plays a female superhero diagnosed with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (she cannot feel physical and emotional pain). Their characters meet and find love.

However, she admitted that she felt pressured filming 14 Years of Love because the characters are real people. “I think na-pressure lang po ako ngayon dahil as an actor na mag-po-portray ng isang episode sa MMK, we all have the responsibility to portray the role accordingly. Kung ano po talaga yung tao, yung letter sender, gampanan po namin ng maayos kasi siyempre nakakahiya naman.”

MMK creative head Arah Badayos explained that the segment is inspired by true events. “Yung kwento ng episode nila Kim and Pepe, nag-viral ‘to online. Nag-viral yung prenuptial photos nila kasi ang ginamit nilang background and element for their photos ay yung tricycle. Kasi ang role na pini-play ni Pepe ay tricycle driver. Importanteng element yun sa kwento nila.

“It’s a story of young love,” added Arah. “The two characters fall in love very young. Their love story spans for 14 years. We will see that they realized while growing up, naging kumplikado ang pagmamahalan nila.”

Director Raz dela Torre invited everyone to watch the episode. “It’s really a nice, beautiful love story that takes you from childhood romance to romance that battles through the challenges of pandemic and growing out of love. Matutuwa po kayo sa episode na ‘to… Sana po panoorin niyo ito.”

(Don’t miss MMK on Kapamilya Channel at A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live YouTube channel, ABS-CBN Entertainment Facebook page and iWantTFC. Viewers abroad can watch it on The Filipino Channel on cable and IPTV.)