FILIPINO STARS CUNETA, GOMEZ REUNITE
Richard Gomez and Sharon Cuneta star together again in ‘Three Words to Forever’
After more than 15 years, Filipino showbiz veterans Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez reunite on-screen for a family-oriented flick, Three Words to Forever, which releases in the UAE today.
The two, who were last teamed up in 2000 for the movie Minsan, Minahal Kita, consider the new film as a reintroduction to one another.
“After so many years of not working together, there are so many changes. There are things about me that she doesn’t know and vice versa,” Gomez says during an international digital conference. The actress used to be in a romantic relationship with Cuneta.
Three Words to Forever also features Kathryn Bernardo, who is doing her first major project without her loveteam partner Daniel Padilla.
Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, the movie is about three generations of couples in a family: Cristy and Rick portrayed by Cuneta and Gomez, who are married for 25 years but are about to end their relationship; Tin and Kyle played by Bernardo and Tommy Esguerra, a newly engaged couple who are figuring out their soon-to-be-married life; and Tinay and Cito, played by veteran actors Liza Lorena and Freddie Web, who are to renew their vows for their 55th wedding anniversary but will be faced with their own issues.
For Cuneta and Gomez, who now have their respective families, communication is one of the key factors in any relationship, especially with families.
“There’s something in this movie for everybody. Everyone can get a lesson from it — from young kids to grandparents,” says Cuneta, who is also known as the ‘megastar’ in Philippine showbiz. “It tackles the relationships that are not only between the couples, but also the relationship with the parents to their children, to grandparents.”
“The movie tackles relationships, family problems and how to find solutions with the problems. This movie also shows the light moments of a family and confrontations as well,” adds Gomez.
But for the 52-year-old actor-turned-politician, his life now is very much unlike his portrayal in the movie. “My family life is completely different from the movie. Sometimes, we have discussions and you need to solve some problems — you have to talk about it,” he says.
Cuneta, who remarried after her divorce in 1987 from actor Gabby Concepcion, is still seeing the bright side of any marital woes or family issues.
“If you both sincerely want to fix something, everything can be talked about. Any problem can be settled if you have communication. I have four children of different generations, so I need to treat each one of them differently.
“So it’s really all conversations. With my husband [Senator Kiko Pangilinan] I also have an open communication. My husband knows right away when I’m sad. Sometimes he will just let me cry and doesn’t ask me why,” she says.
With most of the film was shot in Ormoc, where Gomez is the incumbent city mayor, Cuneta hopes to show more interesting and diverse sights to audiences.
“The movie is not just shot there in Ormoc because he is the mayor, but the place really has something to offer as well, like there’s the Kalanggaman Island and Lake Danao. Ormoc is a beautiful place. I fell in love with Leyte,” shares Cuneta.
Cuneta and Gomez were also full of praise for Bernardo.
“She’s a very good artist and respectful. She deserves the success. I love her,” says Cuneta.
Gomez says: “What’s good with Kathryn is that at a very young age, she already works professionally. She’ll come on time, she knows her lines, she knows her script. She’s a good actress.”