DAVID Licauco admitted that he was affected by remarks made by his former love team partner, Barbie Forteza, during the press conference for her film “Saving Cherry” on Aug. 3, 2026.
During the press conference, Barbie said that Khalil Ramos was her ideal leading man.
“Finally, I have a proper leading man,” the actress said.
Khalil is Barbie’s co-star in “Saving Cherry,” a Regal Entertainment Inc. film set to premiere on Sept. 2.
Barbie’s statement drew attention even though she did not mention anyone by name, as she and David were longtime onscreen partners on GMA.
“Maybe to a degree, yes, it affects me a little bit. Of course, you don’t want to be too stressed, right? So to really care so much, maybe a bit. Of course, you care about your image,” David explained in an interview with Pep.ph.
Despite the remarks, David said he remains open to working with Barbie again.
“Well, I’m open to it. Anyone would want to work with Barbie. She’s a great actress, we all know that, so I’m open. Barbie is a big part of my success, so if there’s an opportunity, why not? If she wants to do it, I’ll do it.”
Their love team, “BarDa,” rose to popularity when they starred together in the hit GMA 7 primetime series “Maria Clara at Ibarra” in 2022.
Asked whether their love team is still alive, David said he was unsure.
“It’s okay, I think we’re okay. We’re civil, I guess,” David said when asked about their relationship off-camera.
He did not directly answer whether he and Barbie had a falling-out in the past.
“Well, it’s true, Khalil really is a very kind person. Even I really like him as a person. He’s a friend of mine.” David said. / TRC
