In films, love stories often explore a web of emotions and physical expressions of affection, skillfully brought to life through intimate scenes.

In The Loved One, starring Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales, both leads share intimate moments that shine on the big screen. It’s their first such scene together after collaborating on two previous projects.

“No awkwardness at all. Can you believe that in all the times we’ve worked together, this is our first intimate scene?” Curtis said during the movie’s recent media huddle over the weekend.

Curtis added that their past collaborations, along with the guidance of an intimacy coordinator, helped them navigate the scene with ease.

“But because we’ve known each other for so long, there’s no awkwardness. We had an intimacy coordinator who really, really helped. You’ll see that scene — it’s so beautiful,” she explained.

Rosales emphasized that their approach was driven by story rather than spectacle.

“We made sure we understood what the story needed. It wasn’t done just to be shown. The intimate scenes have a deep meaning… parang pimple lang ‘yan. Parang epekto lang ng kinain niya. Ibig sabihin, epekto ng pagmamahal ng dalawa, so nagkaroon ng apoy (We made sure we understood what the story needed. It wasn’t done just to be shown. The intimate scenes are deep in meaning… it’s like pimples, an effect of what she ate. It’s the effect of love between the two, so there was fire),” he said.

When asked what they weren’t careful about in love before, Curtis reflected on her tendency to love wholeheartedly.

“Maybe it’s you loving so much that you don’t take time to step back and see if you’re being loved the same way in return. When you’re in love, it’s like you have blinders on. You have to check from time to time: Wait, am I just the lover here? When will I become the loved one?” she said.

For Rosales, it’s having a generous heart.

“I like giving and giving. Before, I had an idea… because I came from a broken family… that love should be a certain way. What happened was, I forgot to listen. You just give and give without knowing what your partner really wants. Now I’ve learned — this is how she wants to be loved. I listen,” he explained.

Not yet separated?

Virtual artist Isabel Santos subtly quashed split rumors with boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz when she shared a series of photos with the actor.

In her Instagram Stories, Santos posted snaps from their trip to Thailand, quietly dispelling rumors that started after the couple unfollowed each other on Instagram. The photos also showed them enjoying the getaway with friends.

The split rumors had been fueled by reports that Cruz was frequently seen at the new house of his former partner, Ellen Adarna.

By posting the Thailand photos, Santos signaled that she and Cruz are going strong as a couple.