Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, known as DonBelle, opened up about their highly anticipated shift from romantic comedies to heavy drama in their latest project, Tayo sa Wakas. The series marks a significant milestone in their careers, challenging them to explore the deeper complexities of love, grief, and healing.

Reflecting on the experience, Belle shared how portraying her character, Cheska, transformed her perspective on relationships and personal growth.

“I feel like this is a different version of Donny and I. Sobrang challenging but I love the experience,” Belle shared. “And you know by doing Cheska and the whole Tayo sa Wakas, I learned so much. My principles about love, my beliefs about love, it really evolved.”

Donny echoed her sentiments, emphasizing the dedication they both brought to the project and the deeper meaning behind their performances.

“Ito parang, may agreement kami na ibigay talaga natin lahat dito (it’s like we have an agreement that we’re really going to give our all to this). This is also our love letter to our supporters, but not just our supporters, to everyone, sa lahat ng taong gusto ng hope and gustong magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng relasyon (for everyone who is hoping for and dreaming of this kind of relationship), or learnings about how they want to enter into a relationship in the future.”

Beyond the emotional themes of Tayo sa Wakas, Donny also reflected on the evolution of the DonBelle partnership and the reality of pursuing individual projects while remaining supportive of one another. According to him, growth and independence can ultimately strengthen a partnership rather than diminish it.

“Just because hindi na kayo love team for the time being, it doesn’t mean nawawala na ‘rin yung suporta niyo sa isa’t-isa. Everlasting support, and you will always have a teammate in each other,” Donny explained, with Belle expressing her agreement.

He further shared his hopes that their journey would inspire younger artists and future love teams to embrace opportunities for individual growth.

“Even love teams coming up will probably look at the situation, and we want them to know that it’s okay to do other things too, you know? Life shouldn’t revolve around both of you just doing the same thing over and over again. There’s so much more to that and it can be healthy if done right, if communicated the right way. As long as you have a great support system and a God who will give you your purpose, then it’s going to be okay. Not saying it’s going to be easy, but it’s going to be okay.”