Eugene Domingo’s love story gives hope to singles over 40
Eugene Domingo’s love story gives hope to singles in their 40s and beyond who are still looking for “The One.”
The Ten Little Mistresses star thought she’d be single forever until she met her now-significant other, Italian movie critic Danilo Bottoni.
The topic of Eugene’s relationship cropped up during The STAR’s one-on-one interview with her regarding Ten Little Mistresses, the first Filipino Amazon Original Movie, which is still No. 1 on Prime Video Philippines a week after its streaming premiere.
Incidentally, the murder-mystery comedy is directed by The IdeaFirst Company’s Jun Robles Lana, the same director of Barber’s Tales, the drama that paved the way for Eugene to find love.
In 2014, the film competed at the Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, where it won the Third Place-Audience Award. But the “biggest reward” there was meeting Danilo.
“When Danilo and I first met, walang ayos ang buhok ko, dry na dry. Malungkot…I was just there, parang lost, but (I was thinking) anyway, I’m here, so might as well enjoy. That was my state when he found me,” the 51-year-old actress-comedienne said.
No sparks flew on that first meeting though. Admittedly, she was then at a point in her life where she thought she would be “single forever”.
“Hindi talaga nag-click yung first niyang sinabi for the reason that personally, give up na ako nun. Parang I was already accepting the fact that I would be single forever and maybe I would just go to a convent,” Eugene further shared with The STAR.
“Promise yun talaga ang plano ko, pumasok sa convent! May dala-dala akong isang sako ng pera, ibibigay ko (sa kanila). But, by the way ha, convent sa Italy hahaha!
“Parang, ‘This is my cash, please take care of me, I’m single, I’ll pray with you… and be singing with you.’ Yun ang nasa isip ko, forever single na ako.”
But contrary to her “plans,” someone unexpected came along. At the Udine filmfest, Danilo approached her because he had seen her previous comedy hit films, from Kimmy Dora to Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank. In fact, they were already friends on Facebook.
Eugene recalled, “He was there and he said, ‘We’re friends on Facebook, can I invite you to have pizza with me?’ That’s it. Parang nahilo na ako hahaha! I said no.
“Because whenever I’m in a festival, medyo sine-set aside ko yung ‘hashtag landian’ because I have work and I have a responsibility. But as soon as hawak ko na yung trophy (for Barber’s Tales), ready na ako makipag-landian. Pero ‘di ko na siya nakita.”
That wasn’t going to be the end of the story though. Eugene was quick to add, “After nun, I chased him.”
The couple has been together for some seven years now. While there have been marriage speculations, further fanned after Eugene shared “copper wedding rings,” as per GMA News, on Instagram back in 2020, these have not been addressed in interviews. But it’s clear that they’re inseparable.
Eugene confirmed that she brings him with her to film shoots here and premieres. Such as the one hosted by Prime Video for Ten Little Mistresses, where she readily acknowledged him in the audience and said: “Luckily, I have found ‘The One.’ Thank you, Babe.”
“Even if I say, you don’t need a man to be happy, in my case… our souls connected and I found peace because of his love,” she further told this paper.
Asked for more pieces of advice to singles in their 40s and above, and still hoping to find a life partner, Eugene shared: “You don’t really have to suffer or exert too much effort. It will come to you, if it’s for you and if you are ready, if you prayed hard for it, and if you just surrendered, ‘Lord, You know what my heart is looking for, it’s up to You.’ Surrender, don’t exert too much effort, don’t tire yourself. Just be there, just be present, it will be in front of you.”
Meanwhile, The STAR asked Eugene if she was open to do a romantic-comedy about — for a change — people at a certain age, who have accumulated more life experiences and a more adult perspective on love.
“If there’s a very good material, ay naku siempre naman. There’s a lot of us. And I’m very sure, yung rom-com naman wala namang age limit yan eh. It’s essential. I would really love to do something like that. I-manifest natin. A rom-com for people like us, with an interesting age, na pwede pa ma-in love. Alam mo, parang ano yun — ang tender. Because you would think, this could be your last na,” she said.
Eugene would also love to do a full-length musical on screen. “Sana maalala ko ni direk Jun (Lana) ‘pag natupad na yung project niya na musical. I will really study, take up voice lessons and learn basic dancing steps. Ang sarap kasi maging part ng isang musical and also on stage, I hope I get to do something more lengthy.
“In All Out Sundays (on GMA), we do comedy skits, musical din yun, and I really enjoy it. And so I hope I get to do a lengthy musical, na medyo legit ganun. I really want to do something like Gypsy Rose. It will require a lot of training, I know. But ‘di naman masama mangarap because you ask.”
However, Eugene is not that willing to take on another drama a la Barber’s Tales.
“To be honest, hindi! Hahaha! Ayoko na mag-drama, ang hirap-hirap. I can do it because I’m an actor but if you ask me now, and you let me choose between comedy, musical and drama, and then ‘pag drama, kasama mo yung the best dramatic actors in the country, dun nalang ako comedy and sa musical. Ang hirap talaga mag-drama,” she honestly said.
But, Eugene reiterated, “I’m glad I made it — Barber’s Tales. And I’m very thankful for it. If not for Barber’s Tales, I would not have met Danilo. Exactly yun talaga ang pinaka-reward dun.”
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