Editors’ Note: The original article quoted Daniel as saying, “Doon nagkaroon ng insecurity.” We misheard—Daniel said, “Doon nagkaroon ng security.” The article has since been corrected.

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Daniel Padilla revealed that Hello, Love, Goodbye, the blockbuster movie starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards, was originally offered to him and Kathryn. On Tonight With Boy Abunda, Daniel shared why he turned down the role in the movie that became the country’s highest-grossing film of all time. “I just thought it was time. Napag-usapan namin na after The Hows Of Us, magpapahinga muna kami [as a love team].”

The actor said it wasn’t an easy process. When Alden was named as his girlfriend’s co-star, he and Kathryn “brainstormed” together. “‘Anong mangyayari? Paano tatanggapin ‘to?’ Gusto nating protektahan si Kathryn. Kailangan mo ring ibigay ang tiwala mo e. Kailangan mong ibigay ang tiwala sa nakaisip ng pagsasamang ‘yon.”

It was quite an adjustment for both of them since they’d been working as a love team for eight years at the time. “On cam and off cam, kami ang magkasama. And now, aalis siya, pupunta siyang Hong Kong for a month. It’s different. Takot tayo sa mga bagay na iba.”

Since it was a movie about love, Daniel said, “Siyempre ikaw bilang lalaki, oh my gosh. Iba ang partner e. Tapos ang layo. Makalipad nga doon. [laughs]”

He said he met Alden on Kathryn’s last day on set and it was all good between them. Asked if he felt jealous, he said, “Masyadong mababaw ang selos. Hindi siya selos e. It’s just different. It’s a different feeling. Kasi ang selos makukuha mo lang kung saan-saan. Ito, ibang usapan. Doon nagkaroon ng security. Doon kami lalong naging tight ni Kathryn.”

Daniel shared, “Noong umalis siya, I was in dark times. Minsan nasa banyo ako for hours. Nandoon lang ako. Minsan naiisip mo, ‘Ano na nga bang nangyayari doon?’ Hindi naman sa iniisipan ko ng masama si Alden. It’s just different. At hindi ko naman puwedeng tawagan [si Kathryn] anytime dahil nagsh-shoot sila. Nakakausap ko siya umaga at gabi. Those times na wala si Kathryn, God, anong gagawin ko sa oras na ‘to?”

After their onscreen hiatus, Daniel is excited to work with Kathryn on a new teleserye and movie in 2020. As for their future together off-screen, he said they’ve been talking about marriage and saving up for their life together. His dream is to be married and start a family before he turns 30 in six years. He’d like to have two to three kids—“the more, the merrier.”