Anthony Jennings (left) and Maris Racal. Image: Shaira Luna via Netflix Philippines

With the recent revelation of their alleged dalliance, Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings currently have the showbiz spotlight focused on them.

From being an admired love team to being the subject of the buzz, the pair has arguably piqued the curiosity of fans on the real score between them. While no denial or confirmation on the matter has been made public yet, let’s look back on how the actors’ friendship blossomed in the past months.

December 2023

Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings in Darren Espanto ‘Iyo’ music video | Image: YouTube/Star Music

Racal and Jennings first teamed up in the TV series “Can’t Buy Me Love,” bringing to life their respective characters Irene and Snoop. Their tandem instantly clicked not just because of their humor that complementedveach other, but also because of their onscreen chemistry that appealed to their viewers amid their platonic relationship.

As their love team continued to gain attention, Racal and Jennings were accused by some of being “scene stealers” for supposedly overshadowing the lead “Can’t Buy Me Love” actors, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano.

Jennings denied this, further noting that his chemistry with Racal just came naturally.

“Sobrang happy kasi hindi ko ine-expect na magbo-boom,” he said at the time. “Si Maris, matagal na siyang nasa industriya and ako naman, kung sino talaga ako, ‘yan ang pinapakita ko sa mga tao. In a relationship siya with Rico Blanco so nire-respect talaga namin ‘yung isa’t isa.”

(I’m so happy because I didn’t expect that our teamup would boom. Maris has been in the industry for quite some time now, and for my part, I just show the real me to the public. Maris is also in a relationship with Rico Blanco so we respect each other.)

“Mas nagwo-work kung totoo ka, ‘yung hindi ka naglalagay ng wall. Parang ang saya sa amin,” he added. “May freedom kami kung ano gagawin namin and nagwo-work siya. Hindi mabigat sa amin.”

(It works because you’re true to yourself. You’re not putting a wall [between you and your co-star.] It makes us happy to have the freedom to do what we want, and it works. The work does not feel heavy.)

March 2024

Racal and Jennings then hinted at doing a movie together, showing themselves in a meeting with film director JP Laxamana. Prior to their project teaser, the actors also starred in the music video of singer-actor Darren Espanto’s latest single “Iyo.”

April 2024

Racal opened up about working with Jennings, and expressed hope that their pairing would somehow serve as a reminder that love teams do not have to be romantically involved to be successful.

“Nag-work lang kami, it clicked, and sinuportahan ng mga tao. I hope ma-start ang [culture] na okay lang magka-love team nang hindi nagiging sila,” said Racal.

(It just worked out between us. It clicked and the public supported us. I hope that we start a culture where love teams work even when they do not end up together in real life.)

“Anthony is very instinctive when he acts. When I watched him do his nuances na wala sa script, I realized it was something I would do,” she added. “Gets namin ang isa’t isa… maybe that’s why we worked.”

July 2024

While the pair’s onscreen teamup had been booming, Racal’s relationship with Blanco seemed to have spiraled down as she announced their breakup.

Rico Blanco and Maris Racal. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Maris Racal

Racal disclosed that she and Blanco had ended their five year-relationship after she was asked in a Star Magic Spotlight press conference if she saw a future with the musician.

“I’m really scared. Ang dami kasing tanong about him and I’m tired of smiling and nodding. I’m so scared because if I announce it, then it’s real,” she said, crying.

“Rico and I are over,” she continued. “It’s fresh. It’s been a few weeks. It’s the loneliest, emptiest weeks I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Racal then vehemently denied any third party, also stressing that Jennings had nothing to do with their split.

“Anthony is out of the picture. It’s just me and Rico,” she noted.

October 2024

Jennings’ relationship with his longtime non-showbiz girlfriend Jamela Villanueva seemed to have followed suit, with breakup speculations hounding the couple. The rumors apparently stemmed from Villanueva’s social media reposts that were seemingly about heartbreaks and betrayal.

Anthony Jennings and his non-showbiz girlfriend Jam Villanueva. Image: Instagram/@jamelavillanuevaa

Among the posts Villanueva shared had the caption: “The audacity to act like nothing happened. As if they didn’t disrespect and hurt people, ruin someone’s mental health, and cause trauma.”

Some then linked Racal to the pair’s supposed split, pointing out how she and Jennings spent her 27th birthday together amid Villanueva’s cryptic posts.

November 2024

Just a month later, Jennings was in the hot seat again after Villanueva alluded to a cheater ex-boyfriend and his workmate who supposedly crossed their work boundaries.

“They are just the same, the one who cheated and the one who tells and do inappropriate things to her workmate na ‘di naman kasama sa trabaho (which are no longer part of their work),” she said, responding to a netizen who asked why her anger seemed to be aimed only at a certain girl and not at her ex-boyfriend.

“I respected their work and industry and I know their boundaries, and they completely went beyond that,” Villanueva added.

Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings and his ex-girlfriend Jamela Villanueva. Image: Instagram/@mariesteller, @jamelavillanuevaa

Just days after this, photos of Racal and Jennings wearing the same pair of rubber shoes during a filming schedule circulated on social media—further fueling speculations about them.

Racal then denied that they were “couple shoes” and said that it was just a coincidence that they owned the same pair.

“Nagkataon lang talaga na same kami ng shoes. Natawa na lang ako sa nangyari, kasi nagkataon lang talaga na ’yun ang suot naming shoes (It just so happened that we have the same shoes. I found it to be funny because it was a coincidence that we wore them on the same day),” she said.

December 2024

Villanueva then seemingly confirmed the speculations hounding Racal and Jennings by releasing screenshots of the alleged intimate conversation of the actors — 0which happened even before Villanueva’s breakup with Jennings.

“When Maris came into the picture, I was genuinely happy for you both, I even chose to be supportive, despite the red flags I couldn’t ignore,” Villanueva stated. “I respected your craft. I believed in you both. But betrayal like this cuts deep.”

In some parts of the love team’s conversation, Jennings offered to accompany Racal in certain instances, while the actress invited him to her house to be her “pillow.” The pair also allegedly “made out” at a party, which the actor admitted to Villanueva.

The actor also explained to Villanueva that his intimate conversations with Racal were part of their “method acting” to make their tandem work better.

“I allowed this to happen because I thought it was the best way to support them both. Most importantly, I trusted my partner and her—as a woman,” Villanueva added, referring to Racal.

The controversy has drawn mixed reactions from netizens, who are still awaiting comments from Racal and Jennings as of this writing.