Daily Tribune
Rhen Escano and Joseph Marco plays lead in the series adaptation of the popular wattpad novel My Husband is a Mafia Boss
Jefferson Fernando
A Wattpad phenomenon is making the leap to live action—and with it comes a pairing fans did not know they needed. My Husband Is a Mafia Boss, one of the most widely read Filipino stories on Wattpad with 218 million reads, is being adapted into a series that marks the first on-screen collaboration of Joseph Marco and Rhen Escaño.
Set to stream on Viva One in 2026, the series brings to life a story that has lived for years in the imagination of millions of readers, now reimagined for a new generation of viewers.
Originally written by the late Diana Marie Serrato Maranan, known online as Yanalovesyouu, the novel ranks among the most successful Filipino stories on Wattpad. Its massive following is driven by a mix of romance, comedy, action, and intrigue centered on an unlikely marriage between an ordinary college student and a man living a dangerous double life.
The transition from page to screen is being led by director Fifth Solomon, who steers the adaptation with a cast that blends established names and rising talents.
At the heart of the series is the long-anticipated partnership between Marco and Escaño. Though both actors have built solid careers individually, this project marks the first time they are sharing the screen as lead characters.
Escaño plays Aemie Romero, a lively college student whose cheerful exterior hides inner resilience. Marco portrays Ezekiel “Zeke” Roswell, a young billionaire CEO whose polished public image conceals his identity as a mafia boss. Their meeting sparks a relationship shaped by chaos, coincidence, and secrets—one that readers have followed obsessively for years.
Joining the lead pair is an expansive ensemble that deepens the story’s universe. The cast includes Frost Sandoval, Sara Joe, Jaime Yllana, Icee Ejercito, Kyosu Guinto, Aaliyah Coco, Dann Aquino, R-ji Lim, PJ Rosario, Maru Delgado, Ara Mina, and Priscilla Meirelles, among others.
Together, they bring to life a world marked by loyalty, betrayal, humor, and danger—mirroring the layered storytelling that helped the novel reach record-breaking readership.
