OMG! Donny Pangilinan Just Confirmed He Courted Belle Mariano—And Her Response Was Everything

Everyone is collectively screaming after Donny Pangilinan admitted that he really did court Belle Mariano, giving fans yet another reason to believe the DonBelle chemistry goes way beyond the screen.

In an episode of The Vice Ganda Network uploaded on May 27, the trio went on a casual carpool ride around Manila, with Donny behind the wheel, Belle sitting beside him in the passenger seat, and Vice Ganda comfortably playing third wheel in the backseat. Naturally, the conversation eventually drifted toward romance—and thankfully, Vice Ganda asked the question everyone had been waiting for.

"Matagal mong niligawan si Belle?" Vice Ganda asked. And Donny was visibly caught off guard, immediately breaking into shy smiles and giggles.

But Vice Ganda was not about to let him escape that easily. She followed it up with, "Na-enjoy mo manligaw kay Belle?"

Finally, Donny gave in. "Pero, ano ah, grabe yung effort ko no'n, 'di ba?" he asked Belle. "I think binigay ko naman ang kaya kong ibigay." Belle quickly agreed, fully backing him up.

The actor went on to share that Belle was actually the first girl he ever seriously courted. "First time ko nag-exert ng gano'n ka-effort talaga kasi we're in the middle of so many things, 'di ba, so parang kailangan mo pang isipin 'yun. But for me, kasi hindi na effort yun eh. Parang gusto ko lang din gawin."

And here, we can all agree that Donny really cared for Belle and is more than willing to look after her. "Na-enjoy mong gawin kasi alam mong mapapangiti mo yung tao," he added.

Meanwhile, Belle also shared the exact moment she realized Donny was going above and beyond for her. "Ang layo niya kasi 'di ba. Laguna siya, ako Antipolo. He drives all the way from Laguna to Antipolo… Tapos pagdating doon, susunduin niya ako. Magda-drive pa kami somewhere."

For Belle, that level of effort was what made everything feel extra special. "Sabi ko, 'Grabe, this guy spends, what? More than 5 hours on the road just to see me.'" Boys should probably start taking notes!

ICYDK, Donny and Belle first worked together in 2019 for the Wattpad-turned-series He's Into Her, which aired on the iWant app during the height of the pandemic. Their undeniable chemistry quickly turned them into one of the country's most-loved love teams.

Following the success of the series, the two became booked and busy with back-to-back projects. In 2021, they starred in their first rom-com movie together, Love Is Color Blind. And a year later, they reunited for An Inconvenient Love, which eventually earned recognition at the 2023 ContentAsia Awards after winning Best Asian Feature Film.

As their careers continued to grow, DonBelle also took on more mature and emotionally challenging roles through the hit primetime series Can't Buy Me Love, which streamed on both Netflix and iWant.

They later starred in the romantic comedy series How To Spot A Red Flag on Viu, further proving their versatility beyond the usual kilig-filled formula. And after the show's successful run, the pair even took home recognition at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2025.

Recently, however, Donny and Belle confirmed that their newest film, Tayo Sa Wakas, would be their last project together as a love team for the time being. Unlike their previous rom-com-heavy projects, the film leaned more into drama and showcased a different side of their on-screen pairing.

But don't get it wrong. While the two mutually decided to pause their love team activities to focus on individual growth and separate careers, it is obvious that their connection remains strong off-camera. In fact, during the vlog, Donny sweetly admitted, "I would really take a bullet for this girl."

While the two have yet to confirm the real score between them behind the camera, one thing's for sure: the two will remain each other's biggest fans!