Five years after their onscreen union received massive fan acclaim, Filipino superstars Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards return to play Joy and Ethan in Hello, Love, Again. The sequel to 2019’s box office smash hit Hello, Love, Goodbye finds Joy (Bernardo) living and struggling in Canada after having left Ethan (Richards) behind in Hong Kong. Five years after the events of the first film, Ethan makes his way to Canada as well, and the lovebirds are faced with how much they’ve each changed.

Cathy Garcia-Sampana is back to direct Hello, Love, Again, which has already set its own record as scoring the widest North American release ever for a Filipino film. Fans all around the world have eagerly anticipated Bernardo and Richards’ reunion, and the movie delivers a touching tribute not only to the challenges Filipino expats face abroad but also to the enduring nature of young love. While the total box office for Hello, Love, Again remains to be seen, chances are audiences will get to take a third turn around town with the stars should it come close to the highs of the first movie.

Ethan & Joy Are Very Different People In Hello, Love, Again

But their love remains just as strong despite the challenges.

Screen Rant: Hello, Love, Again takes place 5 years after its predecessor, and for the audience, it actually has been 5 years. How long was it for you, and how did you each feel about stepping back into Joy and Ethan’s stories?

Alden Richards: Well, it was a challenge for us, being apart for five years in the film — and somehow in real life, but we usually see each other as much as we can.

I think being able to go back to the shoes of our characters was quite refreshing and challenging in a way because a lot has changed in the five years that Joy and Ethan were apart, and a lot of questions were asked. What happened? What has changed individually and as a couple? I think those are the challenges that the characters take on as the story of Hello, Love, Again goes on.

Screen Rant: Kathryn, can you talk about what has changed for Joy? We get to watch that montage of both of you still trying to communicate, and we see things falling apart quickly for Joy.

Kathryn Bernardo: Oh my, God, so many things. I think things have changed, especially for Joy, and now we have Marie. I think Canada, and especially her relationship with Ethan, made her do that because she needed to survive. That’s why she became Marie; she needed to hide all the pain and what she had to go through after what happened with Ethan.

And also after the pandemic, I think all these changes that happened to her made her who she is right now, which is Marie. She presents herself differently, especially with new people. She’s very careful. She has a lot of walls, but at the end of the day, once she goes home, takes off her makeup and changes her clothes… I think she’s still the same Joy that we all loved in Hello, Love, Goodbye. She’s just trying to put this image right there, and she doesn’t want to be weak.

Screen Rant: Speaking of Canada, we got to know Ethan and Joy din Hong Kong in the first movie and now we get to know them all over again in Canada. What was it like for each of you filming that leg of the journey in Canada, and what were your favorite memories?

Alden Richards: Yeah, I think being able to film Hello, Love, Again in a different country helps the change of character that we have to go through; the maturity and the growth of both characters. The location really helped and, at the same time, a lot has changed in five years and they became older. The circumstances surrounding them really changed the way they think and the way they take on life and love as well.

But sometimes in life when we are faced with life decisions, sometimes love is always the right answer to that. I think that’s the question both of them are trying to answer, but they’re having a hard time given the situation and the setup that they have in terms of their relationship. , if you want to talk about filming in Canada, sorry.

Kathryn Bernardo: I liked filming in Canada. It’s a totally different experience from Hong Kong. Distance-wise, it’s so far because Hong Kong to Manila is just a direct flight of a few hours, but this time in Canada — specifically in Calgary, the province area — we were literally so far from home.

I think it helped us in a way for certain scenes. The distance helped us, just like he said, to add to the character growth as well. It’s just so interesting to portray these roles again and get to experiment with these roles once again.

The Struggles Presented In Hello, Love, Again Will Be Relatable To Young Adults Everywhere

The movie asks, “Is love always the answer to everything?”

Screen Rant: We’ve heard a little bit from Kathryn about how Joy has changed. Alden, what can you tease about the difference between Ethan in 2020 and in 2024?

Alden Richards: Ethan in Hello, Love, Goodbye, as they all see the character, is a chill guy. He has a lot of love to give, and he cares so much about the people that he cares for. But with Hello, Love, Again, a lot of things have changed with this guy because of the time span being apart from Joy.

Joy is in Canada, and he lives on the other side of the world in Hong Kong. And when the pandemic came, a lot of challenges came his way, so that really contributed a lot to how he sees life right now. Ethan has matured drastically in this film, and I think people might get shocked at how Ethan would take on the kinds of challenges that he’s going to be facing with Joy in this film.

Screen Rant: Kathryn, you teased how different Marie is from Joy, but what can you say about the relationships that she builds in Canada professionally and personally?

Kathryn Bernardo: I’ll start with personally. With Joy and Ethan, I think it’s very nice that we get to see how their dynamics change as you watch the movie. From him allowing Joy to pursue her dreams of flying to Canada and then just experiencing that long-distance relationship, trying to work it out, and then boom, what happens after that? I think it’s just so relatable because a lot of my friends have long-distance relationships and that’s not easy. We get to see that side of Joy as a lover girl and also how she was able to build her relationships.

I think just like any other person moving abroad, whether it’s in Canada or wherever you want to go, I just admire her courage to pursue her dreams and try out new things. The uncertainty is there, but I think one thing that I admire the most about Joy is her courage. She gets what she wants, she’s going to do everything for her dreams, and it’s just so admirable. She’s very empowered, she’s a dreamer, and she has Ethan to support her with her dreams.

I think it’s just very nice because a lot of women experience that, especially when moving abroad and trying their luck abroad. It’s not a joke. And through this film, we get to see it from a Filipino perspective. What usually happens once you go there, how you start to rebuild your life once again. And the breakup happens, so it made it more challenging. With all these layers, it’s just fun to portray these kinds of roles, and hopefully you guys can relate to it.

Screen Rant: Alden, one thing that’s so admirable about Ethan is how much he does support Joy in her dreams. Can you talk about his enduring love for her, and how confident he is at the start of this movie that they could come back together?

Alden Richards: During the first part of the film, a lot of promises have been made. We saw how Ethan was so confident with how he was supporting Joy to live her dreams. And one day, they will make that future happen, to see each other and spend the rest of their lives together. But certain things in life come to us unexpectedly, and we don’t know how circumstances will affect our life and affect the promises that we have made.

I think because of the situation that has presented itself with the lives of these characters, there’s going to be a lot of questions when it comes to their individuality and them being a couple. Without spoiling so much, I think it’s really [about] doing the right thing. I think that’s the answer to the questions not answerable by love all the time. Do what you feel is right for your life.

And [then there’s] the question of, “Is love always the answer to everything?” I think that is one of the questions that will be present while we tell the story of Joy and Ethan again.

Kathryn Bernardo & Alden Richards Thank The Universe For Bringing Them Together Onscreen

Hello, Love, Goodbye became the highest-grossing Filipino movie when it came out.

Screen Rant: While watching Hello, Love, Goodbye, I was reading all the comments from fans who were overwhelmed by your chemistry. They loved the two of you together and really enjoyed watching your performances. Was that something that surprised you when the first movie came out? What were your favorite responses from fans and viewers?

Kathryn Bernardo: I think [I loved] everything that happened in the first movie, and there were a lot of surprises during that time. We both came from a love team, and then we were working together from this love team. They wondered, “What will happen if you put them together on screen.” We weren’t expecting anything, in fact. We were a bit nervous because we weren’t sure during that time if it’ll work, so everything that happened was really unexpected.

Even in this movie, we didn’t expect [part 2] to happen, but it was another surprise. It’s just nice to sometimes let the universe do its thing. I think this is just the perfect time to do a reunion project together because everyone — Filipinos here and in the Philippines — waiting for the sequel as well. And hopefully, this will answer all their questions.

Alden Richards: In addition to what Kath said, the beauty and uncertainty was one of the [best] things. We trusted the creative team, we trusted each other, and we jumped together not knowing what was going to happen. But we’re just very blessed by the opportunities that have come our way after the first film.

Right now we’re doing the sequel, which I think is the fruit of the courage that we had during that time. Like Kath said, the universe is onto something all the time, and you just have to trust it.