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Looking back at the state of the entertainment industry a decade ago, Nadine Lustre admitted that she never imagined she would one day star alongside Alden Richards in an acting project.

At the time, the two actors were each part of hugely successful love teams, making such a collaboration seem almost impossible.

“Parang at that time, mahirap to imagine yourself with another partner kasi sobrang sacred ng love teams before. Parang kapag may makaka-work kang iba, lagot yung makaka-work mo.

"Even in a movie, kunwari, may third party, kawawa yung third party. So, I never really imagined that eventually, in the future, this would happen.

"Although I don't think naman na it was impossible. It was just that hindi ko siya naiisip,” Nadine recalled during the thanksgiving media conference held on July 8.

Now, however, Nadine believes times have changed for the better.

“It kind of makes sense. Kasi, hindi ko rin naman ma-imagine na celebrities are being stuck working with the same person. Parang walang bagong flavor yung project if it's the same people over and over again.”

Through the online series Love, Siargao, Nadine reunited with Asia's Multimedia Star Alden Richards, whom she had previously worked with only on commercial shoots.

The actress shared that the project allowed her to get to know Alden on a much deeper level.

She related, “Sobrang sarap po niya maka-work. Si Alden kasi, hindi ko siya first time makatrabaho. I guess, yung ganito katagal… before po kasi endorsement shoots lang. The very first time I worked with him, nasa Pop Girls pa ako noon, I was 16 or 17, 32 na po ako ngayon.

“Ano siya, ang dami naming napag-uusapan. Hindi siya mahirap pakisamahan. One of the things that I believe about him is that lahat kinakausap niya. Yung buong team kinakausap niya, parang kaya niyang makisama. Nakikipagbiruan siya, ganun.

“'Tapos, ang light niya ka-work and very collaborative siya. Kapag may scenes kami, pinag-uusapan talaga namin, hinihimay namin ang mga eksena namin.”

Related gallery: Alden Richards and Nadine Lustre show undeniable chemistry in 'Love,
Siargao'

Nadine also revealed that she often encourages Alden to visit Siargao again, a place she has grown to love and considers her personal sanctuary whenever she needs a break.

“Parang iba talaga ang nagagawa ng isla. Even for me, it's really hard for me to kind of explain what it is. Even a lot of my friends who just visit the island, parang may something talaga doon sa isla.

“Si Alden, sabi ko nga sa kanya, 'Uy, minsan magpahinga ka naman.' Kasi, alam kong sobrang hardworking siya. May group chat kasi kami niyan, 'tapos lagi siyang hindi nagre-reply. Niloloko namin siya, inaasar namin siya. I would tell him, you know, 'Minsan magpahinga ka naman.'

“I like telling him yung mga experience ko sa isla. Sabi ko nga, dito ako tumatakbo kapag gusto kong huminga, and nakita naman nilang lahat 'yon.

“Hindi naman ako magtataka kung eventually he'll have a house there or doon siya pupunta kapag kailangan niyang huminga. I know naman na he deserves it, too.”

Beyond working with Alden, Nadine said filming Love, Siargao also gave her a new family through the close bond she formed with the cast.

“One of the things that I really love about doing Love Siargao is I have a new family because of the project, which is the cast nga rin,” ani Nadine.

Also joining the series are Kim Ji Soo, Kyline Alcantara, AZ Martinez, Vince Maristela, Gab Lagman, Kakki Teodoro, Adrian Lindayag, and Christopher Diwata.

Love, Siargao is co-produced by GMA Network, Asian streaming platform Viu, and Studio Viva.

Related gallery: Kyline Alcantara shares candid moments from the set of 'Love, Siargao'