Did Derrick Monasterio feel threatened when Elle Villanueva and Kristoffer Martin had their own shippers?
Real-life couple Elle Villanueva and Derrick Monasterio would be sad if ever they won’t be a love team anymore after “Makiling.”
Elle and Derrick’s Afternoon Prime series, which is produced by GMA Public Affairs, is now down to its last week on air.
But while it’s a sad moment for the couple, they see it as an opportunity to grow even more in the industry.
Derrick, in particular, wants Elle to flourish, given that she is just starting to reap her fruits of labor in showbiz.
He told FreebieMNL, “Sad pero ready, sinasabi ko yan kay Elle lagi na, ‘Alam mo, kung makakabuo ka ng successful love team sa iba, sobrang susuportahan kita doon.’
“Kasi, siyempre, marami rin siyang matututunan sa ibang artista na mas magaling, mas may input. Importante na ma-explore niya yan lahat kasi siyempre, diyan siya kukuha ng mga aral, mga lessons.
“Kung matatali siya sa akin forever, baka hindi siya mag-grow so importante din talaga na makatrabaho niya ibang tao and sobrang supportive ako kay Elle. So, okay lang yun.”
As for Elle, she and Derrick both know how to separate real-life from on-screen, the reason why they are more open to being partnered with different artists.
She said, “Although sad siya pero sine-separate naman namin palagi ang work sa personal life namin.
“So, if ever man, siyempre, nakasanayan ko na ever since siya yung love team ko, if ever na next show hindi kami, we will accept it. Kung saan kami magu-grow, doon tayo.”
FreebieMNL spoke to Elle and Derrick during the finale media conference of “Makiling” via Zoom on April 25, 2024.
Derrick-Elle-Kristoffer love triangle
The possibility of Derrick and Elle being paired with other actors came when viewers of “Makiling” started shipping Elle’s character, Amira, to Kristoffer Martin’s Seb.
It came as a surprise for the cast and production of the show given the history of their characters where Seb was Amira’s rapist. It turns out that Seb is the father of Amira’s long-lost daughter.
Elle said of this, “Nakakatuwa kasi sobrang unexpected siya and hindi naman nakita na pwedeng mangyari yun na may mag-ship kay Seb and Amira kasi una, ang plano talaga is bully si Seb.
“Nagulat kami na sobrang dami na ngang red flag ni Seb, shinip pa siya. So, sometimes you really can’t deny the chemistry that shows on-screen and bilang si Seb, grabe naman kasi yung pagtingin niya, kapag tumitingin siya sa akin, grabe ang lagkit, di ba? Parang champorado!”
Kristoffer quipped: “Mamaya, ite-text na ako ni Derrick, ‘Ano yun?’ Charot!”
Laughing, Derrick then replied: “Ba’t ganun, ba’t ganun yung titig mo, Bro?”
Even then, Elle assured everyone that Derrick and Kristoffer had no bad blood or selosan because of the love triangle.
She said, “Nakakatuwa, wala namang nangyaring parang bad blood sa kanilang dalawa kasi close naman din sila.
“So, parang kaming tatlo, kapag pinapag-uusapan, nagiging biro na rin siya on set, so ayun, nakakatuwa, ganun nare-reciprocate sa viewers and mas kumapit din yung viewers and yung audience namin sa ‘Makiling’ because of that.”
Kristoffer admitted that he was surprised because his character was really meant to be one of the kontrabidas in the show.
But the experience of having a “love team” or shippers made him feel like a teen actor again.
“Gulat kasi maski kami sa set, e, hindi lang sa aming tatlo. Parang lahat kami, ang question, ‘Saan galing yung SebMira?’ Kasi sobrang red flag niya e, maski ako, sabi ko, paano mo mamahalin yung gumanon sa’yo, di ba?
“Sabi nga namin, minsan may mangyayaring unexpected so kami, sige, sakyan na natin gusto nila yan, e. Pero siyempre in real life, hindi mo talaga ishi-ship yung character ni Seb kasi napakasama niya talaga from the past, e. Ngayon na lang niya nire-redeem yung sarili niya.
“Pero happy kami kasi sabi ko, para akong bumalik sa pagiging tweens, bumalik sa love team! Ganun yung feeling, ‘Ay, shocks para ako ulit 16 years old.”
As for Elle, she thinks that viewers are endeared with Seb because of how Kristoffer is in real life.
She explained, “Feeling ko lumalabas yung totoong character ni Kristoffer as Kristoffer Martin kasi everytime na binu-bully niya ako on-screen, lumalabas sa mata niya na naaawa siya sa akin, may care siya sa akin kasi in real life ganun siya, especially yung scene na ire-rape niya ako, sobrang alaga ni Tun sa akin na, ‘Okay lang ba kung I’ll touch you here,’ mga ganun.
“Tapos every after scene, tinatanong niya ako, ‘Okay lang ba? Sorry, ha, sorry Sizzy. Gumaganun siya sa akin so lumalabas lang talaga sa character niya na si Seb kung paano si Tun in real life.”
Derrick proud of Elle and Kristoffer
But how did Derrick react to the SebMira shippers?
Derrick said, “Na-threaten ako. Joke!”
Kristoffer then first shared how Derrick, his bestfriend and workmate since they were teens, was very supportive of the characters’s development.
“Sa amin, yung biruan namin ni Derrick, parang magkapatid na kasi kami talaga. Sobrang magkapatid na kami, alam na namin yung ugali ng isa’t isa at saka alam naman namin yung boundaries at saka yung respeto talaga.
“Lalo na sa aming tatlo na may nabubuong ganyan, respeto talaga at saka trust sa co-actor mo at saka ang laking bagay na simula bata pa lang, magkakilala na kami ni Derrick, as in sabay na kami lumaki sa industriya.
“So, yung mga ganung bad blood, wala. Sasabihin pa niyan, ‘Proud ako sa ‘yo,’ ganyan. Sobrang vocal na kapag may nagawang magandang scene na sobrang vocal niya, ganun siyang klaseng co-actor na iko-commend ka niya na talagang nanonood siya ng bawat eksena ng bawat artista ‘tapos iko-commend niya yun, ganun siya mag-appreciate. So, malaking bagay yun kasi galing kay Derrick.”
As for Derrick, he is just proud of Kristoffer and Elle for the positive comments and reviews they have been getting because of the show.
He said, “Gaya ng sinabi ni Kristoffer, sobrang proud ako sa kanilang dalawa kasi sila yung mga pinaka-close kong tao sa industriya, silang dalawa.
“Especially kay Elle kasi siyempre, alam ko na ito talaga yung pangarap niya, gusto niyang maging, and nakikita ko kapag pumupunta kami sa ibang lugar tinatawag siyang Amira, grabe ang sarap sa feeling nun as bilang lover niya na sumusporta sa dreams niya.
“Ang sarap marinig nun and ang sarap na makita sa akin na ang daming nagshi-ship sa kanila kasi, wow, kinakapitan yung character ng dalawang pinakamamahal kong tao sa industriya.
“So, ganun talaga siya, walang competition basta ako, alam kong binigay ko yung best ko sa show, kung hindi man nila ako kapitan, okay lang basta silang dalawa mag-flourish kasi close ko itong dalawang ito.”
“Makiling,” which started its run on January 2024, is about to air its final episode on May 3, 2024 on GMA Afternoon Prime at 4:00 p.m.
After “Makiling,” Derrick is set to move to another project, the historical drama series “Pulang Araw” where he will play a crucial role. On the other hand, Elle’s next project is yet to be announced.
READ ALSO: Derrick Monasterio Declares Elle Villanueva As The “Next Marian Rivera Of GMA”
Banner Art Paulo Correa
