“It was supposed to be a private, intimate thing”—Maris Racal issues apology over Anthony Jennings screenshot scandal
Filipino actress Maris Racal apologized for the ongoing cheating scandal with her Can’t Buy Me Love co-star, Anthony Jennings, in an ABS-CBN News interview on December 6. The Manila Times reported that 27-year-old Racal was accused of being involved with Anthony in a secret affair while the actor was in a relationship with his now-former girlfriend, Jamela Villanueva.
On December 3, Jamela uploaded several screenshots of alleged conversations between the two co-stars on her Instagram Stories. She also shared photos of Maris and Anthony allegedly sharing kisses.
In a conversation with ABS-CBN News on Friday, Maris Racal said:
“Today I will take accountability for everything… And I wanna say sorry for everything that I’ve done.”
Maris claimed when things started between Anthony and her in June 2024, she was unaware of his relationship with Jamela. The 27-year-old actress-singer said she was in a dark place at the time and often felt lonely. It led her to develop an affinity for the attention she was receiving from Anthony at the time.
A tearful Maris said she was shocked and embarrassed when she saw her chats with Anthony were being circulated online as they were uploaded without her will and her consent. Citing the text exchanges between her and Anthony revealed in the screenshots, Maris claimed that’s just her natural self when she expresses love. The actress added:
“It was supposed to be private. It was supposed to be a private, intimate thing.”
Though Maris expressed she was upset that her intimate moments were made public, she said she would not play the victim as she realized her mistake. She further apologized to her fans and everyone who had supported her for 10 years in the entertainment industry.
Maris Racal broke down in tears as she lamented over the situation and said she now feels “naked” whenever she steps out due to this ordeal.
Maris Racal broke up with her former boyfriend Rico Blanco in July
Maris Racal revealed in the ABS-CBN News interview that she realized it was wrong upon sensing the growing attraction between Anthony and herself around June. She was dating singer-songwriter Rico Blanco for 5 years at the time. The actress claimed she confessed to Rico about her feelings for Anthony which eventually led to their breakup in July.
In the Friday interview, Maris Racal claimed she believed Anthony had also ended things with Jamela when she began pursuing a relationship with the actor. However, she accused the 24-year-old actor of keeping her in the dark about the truth of his relationship status with Jamela for months.
Jamela’s TikTok posts about betrayal first churned the wave of speculations that pointed the finger at Maris Racal. Maris claimed it earned her some backlash for which she urged Anthony to release a proper statement so the online bashing would stop. However, the actor refused and told her he was “waiting for the right time”.
Anthony Jennings eventually announced his split from Jamela on November 29, which, according to Maris, was too late. Maris claimed her attempt to reach out to Jamela in November was futile.
