Maris Racal could not believe the new showbiz title she's been given — this generation's Rom-Com Queen, a title bequeathed to her by netizens following her effective comic and romantic banter with Anthony Jennings' Snoop Manansala character in the TV series Can't Buy Me Love.

"This country, sobrang love nila 'yung rom-com. For them to call me rom-com queen, parang hindi ko pa carry 'yung crown (I feel I still don't deserve the crown)," Racal, who plays Irene Tiu in the series, said.

The Irene-Snoop love team was borne out of a hit comic scene where Racal's character stepped on  poop as she was running toward Snoop.

"It was all unplanned. Nagkaroon lang talaga kami ng isang eksena na nag-viral, 'yung nakaapak ako ng poop (We only had a scene which went viral, the one in which I stepped on poop)," she said.

"Natuwa naman ako kasi hindi naman laging may makakatambal ka na magwo-work and magda-jibe 'yung humor ninyo. Very happy ako sa support ng mga tao (I am happy because it's not always that you get to work with somebody whose humor jibes with yours. I am very happy at the support of the people)," she said.

For his part, Jennings did not see that his pairing with Racal would bring positive results, as "ito yung pinaka-wild kong character na ginawa. Kitang-kita siya sa mga eksena namin. Hindi ko talaga ginagawa 'yun. Nakakatuwa na minahal siya ng mga tao (This is the wildest character I've done so far. It's obvious in our scenes, which I don't really plan. It's heartwarming that people are loving it)," he said.

Jessy Mendiola: Harmony over balance

As wife to Luis Manzano and mommy to Peanut, Jessy Mendiola is "super happy."

"Nasa point ako ng life ko na 'grabe naman, thank you, thank you' (I'm at the point in  my life where it's just, 'wow, thank you, thank you'). I'm just really happy because, of course, there's my Peanut, si Luis (Manzano), my family, and of course, the overflowing blessings from the Lord," she said.

Mendiola recently graced the three-day Watsons Health Expo 2024 in SM Megamall where she was launched as the ambassador of Beauty Bunny gummy vitamins.

Mendiola admitted to doing a balancing act as a wife, mother and career woman.

"I would be lying kung sasabihin kong napakadali mag-balance especially kung wife ka na, mother ka na. I'm sure sa mga mommies dito, sa mga may asawa na dito, sobrang hirap, 'di ba? Mas lalo na 'yung ikaw ang klase ng mommy na devoted talaga na alagaan 'yung pamilya mo. I think naman lahat ng mga mommies ay ganoon" (I would be lying if I say it's easy to achieve balance especially if you're a wife, if you're already a mother. I'm sure those mommies here, those who are married here, it's so hard, right? More so if you're the kind of mommy who is devoted to taking care of your family. I think all mommies are like that), she stressed.

Mendiola said prefers to use "harmony" than "balance" in describing and framing how she deals with the many hats she wears for her family.

"Para sa akin, you don't use the word balance. You use the word harmony. Magpakatotoo tayo. Kahit na sabihin ko na, 'naku, I will prioritize myself, kailangan maganda ako lagi, kailangan fresh ako lagi — it's gonna be far from the truth. Hindi na ako fresh lagi. Hindi ko mapa-prioritize ang sarili ko palagi.  But you know, that's life.  It's okay" (Here's the truth. Even if I say, hey, I will prioritize myself — I need to be beautiful always, I need to be fresh always — it's gonna be far from the truth.  I am not always fresh. I cannot prioritize myself always. But you know, that's life. It's okay).

Reiterating her stance, she added: "For me, the word harmony is perfect kasi you harmonize everything in your life – motherhood, family, your beauty, your time alone, your career, everything. And that's what makes a great life, 'di ba?"