Mark Anthony Fernandez: 'I Was A Lost Soul Before. But Now, I'm At Peace With Myself And With The World'

MARK ANTHONY FERNANDEZ is part of “Let the Love Begin” that starts airing on May 4 to replace “Once Upon a Kiss”. Unlike in past presscons where he usually escaped after the cast presentation to avoid being interviewed, this time, he stayed on and willingly joined tables of entertainment writers to be interviewed. We tell him we’re happy to see him looking good and well rested, unlike before when he seems haggard and disturbed.

“Dati kasi, I was a lost soul,” he says. “But now, I’m at peace na, with myself, with the world. Feeling ko dati, ang dami kong problems. But now, I’m in the mood again with life, with work. I was lost then, pati kay Lord, but now, I found him again and mas may direction na.”

His last project was “Rhodora X” with Jennylyn Mercado, who has since been assigned “Second Chances” that’s now also about to end. “Yes, matagal akong bakante. I took advantage of that to do study by myself. I read a lot of books, literature. I also did a lot of work out to be in good shape kasi 36 na ako.”

He admits he and his wife Melissa have called it quits. “Yung youngest namin, Rudolf Benedict, is now one year old. But our eldest, si Grae Cameron, 14 na at teen star ng ABS-CBN. We tried to work it out but it’s our mutual decision na maghiwalay kasi kailangan namin ng breathing space. For a while, noong wala akong matirhan, I tried to stay sa mausoleum ng dad ko (Rudy Fernandez) sa Heritage Memorial Park kasi wala akong mauwian, e may kuwarto roon at rest room. Pero sabi ni Tita Lorna (Tolentino), hindi puede, baka multuhin daw ako. So now, I live by myself in a condo in Clark, Pampanga. Pakiramdam ko kasi, ang tagal ko na sa Manila, so for a change, sinubukan ko roon and, okay naman, maganda, fresh air, mababait ang mga tao. Marami na akong friends. At saka malapit din lang naman ang Clark sa Manila. Mabilis lang ang biyahe pag may taping ako rito.”

What’s his role in “Let the Love Begin”? “I play Jomar, radio station manager na playboy, pero babaguhin ako ni Ms. Ai Ai de las Alas. Magkakaroon daw kami ng romantic angle, but hindi lang ako kasi kasama rin naman sina Gardo Versoza and Neil Ryan Sese na may gusto rin sa kanya.”

Whatever happened to the reunion movie he’s supposed to do with Claudine Barretto? “I don’t know. It’s supposed to be with Viva. Noon, kinokontak pa nila ako, pero ngayon, hindi na, e. Okay lang naman sa’kin to work again with Claudine.”

Like him, Claudine is now separated. What if their past romance is rekindled? “Hindi ko alam. Marami nang nangyari. May mga anak na kami. Tingnan muna natin kung matutuloy ngang magkatrabaho kami uli.”