Heaven Peralejo puts rumors to rest, shows her maturity post-breakup with Marco Gallo
Standing strong: Heaven assures fans that she’s doing fine after calling it quits with Marco Gallo.
“We’re not together anymore.”
With just four words, Heaven Peralejo ended months of speculation surrounding her relationship with Marco Gallo. And in true Heaven fashion, she did so with grace, firmness and strength. These are traits that have become trademarks of her character both on- and off-screen since the early days of her career almost 10 years ago.
After weeks of fans trying to decode subtle hints and social media silences and unfollowing, Heaven finally addressed the elephant in the room after the media conference for her upcoming Wattpad adaptation series, “I Love You Since 1892.”
Her candid admission wasn’t laced with drama or bitterness — instead, it was clear, respectful and mature. In fact, we went backstage after the program to just chat with the cast about how big of a fan base their new series has.
Heaven Peralejo will be seen next in ‘I Love You Since 1892,’ Viva One’s highly anticipated adaptation of the bestselling Wattpad novel by Binibining Mia. Her character is a modern-day teenager Carmela/Carmelita who finds herself transported back to the colonial era in the Philippines, filled with intrigue, family duty and a sweeping love story. She’s sharing the screen with Jerome Ponce (as Juanito Alfonso) and Joseph Marco (as Leandro Flores).
We were also curious about the dynamics between Heaven being partnered with Jerome Ponce, whom she had worked with in the “University” series but with different partners. At this point, we asked about Marco’s opinion on Heaven’s new project on which she shared, “We’re not together anymore. It was a mutual decision on both our parts,” she explained, choosing to focus on the friendship that remains rather than the romance that ended. “We’re okay, we’re good friends. Sana maintindihan ng mga taong nagmamahal sa amin.”
Heaven flexes her new luxury shoe purchase, which she gifted herself during her recent trip to New York City for her latest Netflix film, ‘Lilim.’
Heaven and Marco’s story began in the most public of places — inside the “Pinoy Big Brother” house back in 2016. What started as an innocent spark between two teenagers was cut short when they exited the house and pursued separate paths. But fate had other plans.
Seven years later, their paths crossed again, this time as love team partners in “The Rain in España,” the hit adaptation of the viral Wattpad novel that was shown on TV5.
The author with Heaven and Jerome after the one on one.
The chemistry was still there, and fans quickly rooted for their rekindled connection — both onscreen and off. “MarVen,” as they were dubbed, became one of the most beloved pairings in the local fandom scene.
I am regularly doing TikTok live with showbiz fans, and I never run out of requests to have constant MarVen updates.
Yet even fan-favorite tandems have real-life complexities. And now, with Heaven confirming their split, she’s proving that maturity and career growth can — and should — take center stage.
“Of course, we’re giving each other some time to breathe,” she added. “But when we see each other, okay naman kami. Parang walang nagbago.”
The timing of her statement couldn’t have been more symbolic. Heaven is entering what many consider the most pivotal chapter in her career with the lead role in “I Love You Since 1892,” Viva One’s highly anticipated adaptation of the bestselling Wattpad novel by Binibining Mia.
Playing dual roles as Carmela and Carmelita, Heaven’s character is a modern-day teenager who finds herself transported back in time to the year 1892. The latter is a colonial era in the Philippines filled with intrigue, family duty and a sweeping love story. The role is layered, challenging and deeply emotional — a perfect match for an actress who has come into her own.
Heaven was telling us that she knew about the project early in July during her recent trip to Japan for a branded event. She was on the phone with entertainment juggernaut Boss Vic del Rosario, who was congratulating her for her recent acting accolades and then broke the good news to her. She said it was the perfect timing for her breakup, “Nalalabas ko sa trabaho.” Having her mom and best friend with her all the time was a big help for her to move on from the breakup, which happened, according to her, “matagal na naman po.” She just did not want to specify the date as respect to what she and Marco had.
Her role in the new series is a far cry from the “girl-next-door” roles that Heaven once took on. Now, she’s leading a period drama, helmed by award-winning director McArthur Alejandre, and sharing the screen with Jerome (as Juanito Alfonso) and Joseph Marco (as Leandro Flores).
“I Love You Since 1892” is not just a romantic series. It’s a story of identity, sacrifice and rewriting destiny. These themes echo Heaven’s own life. Fresh from her appearance in New York, where her Netflix horror film “Lilim” held a screening and climbed to No. 1 on the platform, she’s clearly on a trajectory that’s not bound by love teams or rumors.
Even amid a breakup, there’s no drama behind the scenes.
When asked if she and Marco will continue working together, she didn’t hesitate to answer with professionalism: it’s business as usual. They still have to star as MarVen in two more “University” series books. She will also have a production number with Marco in the “Vivarkada” concert on Aug. 15. What a trooper!
While emotions may be private, work remains public — and for Heaven, work is a place she shines.
Watch Heaven in “I Love You Since 1892,” coming soon to Viva One. Download the Viva One app.
