In 2003, two up-and-coming love teams starred in Star Cinema's twin-bill romantic movie, My First Romance. The first half, titled One Love, starred Heart Evangelista and John Prats, while the second one, Two Hearts, was headlined by Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz. One Love told the story of popular rich girl Jackie who crushes on a schoolmate, Che, from a humble upbringing. He introduces her to a simpler and more loving world than the one she grew up in. Two Hearts, on the other hand, is about star athlete Enzo who suddenly ends up needing a heart transplant. Two years after his surgery, he meets Bianca, the former girlfriend of the man got his heart from.
My First Romance proved to be career-defining for both love teams because it was the first time for all of them to get lead roles in a film. The four main actors, all in their 30s now, have since achieved success in both their careers and personal lives. Here's what they've been up to 17 years after My First Romance's release:
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Heart Evangelista as Jackie
The film marked the peak in Heart Evangelista and John Prats' love team. After My First Romance, Heart was paired with Geoff Eigenmann which resulted in them starring in the romantic movie anthology Bcuz Of U in 2004. During this time, Heart was a VJ at MYX and starred in several shows in ABS-CBN. In 2008, Heart made the big move to GMA-7 and was able to headline a string of primetime dramas such as Full House (2009), Legacy (2012), Beautiful Strangers (2015), and My Korean Jagiya (2017). Heart is also a visual artist and has made a name in the art world for her hand-painted designer bags. She's had several solo exhibitions in the past few years and is a prominent figure in the fashion industry as well. As for her personal life, she's been married to Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero since 2015.
John Prats as Che
After his love team with Heart Evangelista ended, John Prats' next big project was as a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition in 2006 where he was hailed as the runner-up in the reality competition. He's since hosted and judged several iterations of Pinoy Big Brother throughout the years. He's currently part of two long-running shows on ABS-CBN, the gag show Banana Spilt and the action drama FPJ's Ang Probinsyano. In 2015, John married Isabel Oli, and they now have three children: Feather, Freedom, and Forest.
Bea Alonzo as Bianca
My First Romance was just the start of Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz's mega-famous love team. They both starred in a slew of hit teleseryes and movies throughout the years: Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin (2005), Maging Sino Ka Man (2006), One More Chance (2007), I Love Betty La Fea (2008), Miss You Like Crazy (2010), The Mistress (2012), and A Second Chance (2015). But Bea's superstar power works with or without a leading man and is not limited to romantic films. In 2019, she veered away from the genre and starred in the critically acclaimed horror film, Eerie. She and John Lloyd remain to be good friends up to this day and have done several small projects together, such as the live script reading of That Thing Called Tadhana on Valentine's Day 2020. In July, Bea was romantically linked to actor and race car driver Dominic Roque.
John Lloyd Cruz as Enzo
It's no doubt that John Lloyd Cruz earned immense fame because of his love team with Bea Alonzo. But apart from their pairing, he has been experimental in the projects he chooses. His notable and award-winning films include Honor Thy Father (2015) and The Woman Who Left (2016). In 2017, John Lloyd famously took an indefinite leave from showbiz and only reemerged on the big screen in 2019's Culion with a cameo role. While away from the public eye, John Lloyd focused on his photography and used his nickname Idan Cruz for his works. In 2018, he became a father when his then-partner Ellen Adarna gave birth to their son Elias.
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