Will Mark & Claudine get another chance at love?

Former reel-to-real life couple Mark Anthony Fernandez and Claudine Barretto had a throwback of their past while filming Joel Lamangan’s Deception, currently streaming on Vivamax.

What could have been if they ended up together? The thought has always crossed their minds over time, they both admitted in a Zoom media conference.

“Lagi kong iniisip yun. Either or, the important thing is close kami ni Boss Clau. Hindi man kami nagmamahalan bilang lovers, (kundi) bilang magkaibigan… natutuwa pa rin ako bilang kausap siya, ganun din siya sa akin. Iniisip ko din kung nagkatuluyan kami, ano kaya itsura ng anak namin?” shared Mark.

“We talked about it actually,” said Claudine. “Paano kung nagkatuluyan tayo? Ilang taon na yung anak natin? Kino-compute pa namin.”

Mark butted in, “For me, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Alam mo yun, kung ano man yun. Kasi bata pa naman si boss Clau eh. Depends on the situation. Kung may access akong makaligaw sa kanya, bakit hindi di ba?”

Claudine laughed and said, “Si Mark ano pa rin talaga… Habang nag-sho-shooting kami, di ba nangyari na ‘to, ganito, ganito (referring to the scenes in the movie). Napag-usapan namin yung past namin and yung present.”

Continuing the banter in the more recent press conference, they were both asked if the “thing” between them was just a joke or Mark was hinting at something.

“It’s true,” confessed Mark. “Though we’re close, it’s time to get closer with Boss Clau. Minsan nawawala siya eh. So, tinitingnan ko if I can test the waters.”

Claudine challenged him, “Si Mark puro salita, gawin mo.” He replied, “I’m a man of action.”

Do they foresee themselves being together again someday?

“Ako ang babae, so, mag-aantay na lang ako kung anong mangyayari,” remarked Claudine. “I don’t see myself with Mark just yet kasi ambilis ng pangyayari. Ambilis ng shooting namin eh, kulang pa kami sa bonding. Mas importante na we get to know each other more pa before venturing into anything else.”

For Mark, a second shot at love is possible if it happens in the next three or four years. “Pero ‘pag lumagpas na dun, parang impossible na.”

“’Pag hindi kami nag-jelling-jelling or loving-loving in the next three or four years, wala ng mangyayaring ganun. Co-actors na lang kami. Pero in the next three or four years nagka-jelling-jelling kami, pwede. Pero after that, beyond that, hindi na ako aasa pa,” he added.

The young lovers back then had starred in Pare Ko and their first major film roles were in Mangarap Ka in 1995. Mark was 17, while Claudine was 16 when they became an item.

Fast forward to today, Claudine has four children — Santino, with ex-husband Raymart Santiago and adopted kids Sabina, Quia and Noah. One of Mark’s children is Star Magic’s Grae Fernandez, 20, to a previous marriage with Melissa Garcia.

Does he still love Claudine? “Yes,” he replied. “I still love Claudine as an actress, as a friend. Crush-wise, hindi mawawala yung pagka-crush ko sa kanya, kahit ano pa yung situation. Basta lagi ko siyang crush.”

In the drama-mystery film Deception, Mark and Claudine play a married couple. He is Jericho, a stunt double, while she is Rose, a famous actress. They are blessed with a son named Thomas. Rose was convicted for killing her husband and was sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment.

Soon after her time in prison ends, she tries to reconnect with her son, who is now a teenager. But her troubled past starts to catch up with her and reveals all the lies that go with it.

Relating to the film’s title, Deception, Claudine said it hits close to home as she has been “deceived” many times in real life. “The so many relationships I have whether friendship, or at work, sa family or sa ex-husband. Lahat yun napagdaanan ko. Kaya dapat mas careful ka. Kaya yung sinasabi nila na love yourself, totoo yun. ‘Wag ka lang bigay ng bigay,” she said.

“I think lahat ng tao nakakaranas ng ganun at one point in their lives.”

Claudine never felt “deceived” when she was with Mark years ago and vice versa.

“Si Mark kahit babaero yan, he never hurt me in any way na parang na-deceive ako, or naloko or naisahan ako. That’s why we maintain our good relationship until now because he is a gentleman. Kung pwede ka niyang pag-takpan, pag-tatakpan ka niya kung ano yung mga nangyayari sa buhay mo para lang hindi ka masaktan. He is that type of person.”

Meanwhile, Claudine celebrated the New Year in Subic with her family. “First time nabuo yung pamilya namin, except yung two ate ko kasi nasa abroad. We were all together, especially my nieces and nephews kasama ko. Talagang sinalubong namin yung New Year with so much love, happiness and peace.”

Is she ready for “deception in politics?”

“Yes, handang-handa na. Ito na malapit na mangampanya,” she answered. “I’m very excited and nervous. I’m grateful and hopeful na itong bagong tatahakin kong career talagang maibigay ko yung serbisyo na kailangan ng mga tao, hindi lang sa Olongapo kundi kahit saan.”

She is running for city councilor in Olongapo in the May 2022 elections.

(Deception is produced by Viva Films and Borracho Film Production.)