Dingdong Dantes and Karylle appear together in the June 11 episode of “It’s Showtime.” Image: Screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN

For the first time in a long while, former onscreen and real-life partners Dingdong Dantes and Karylle were captured in one frame during the June 11 episode of “It’s Showtime.”

Dantes made an appearance on the variety show on Wednesday alongside veteran actress-host Charo Santos to promote their new May-December film “Only We Know.”

Dantes and Charo joined the hosts in one of the show’s segments, “Kid Sona.” Although the Kapuso actor did not have any specific interaction with Karylle, this marked the first time that the duo was seen on the same screen after many years.

Netizens took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the appearance, with some still finding the chemistry between the two actors.

“What do you mean I’m getting giddy about Dingdong and Karylle when they’re not even looking and talking? The chemistry is still there, and the imagination and awkwardness that I feel—just kidding,” wrote one netizen in Tagalog.

“OMG Karylle and Dingdong [are] breathing the same air again. Well, they’ve grown and moved on, so we should too,” added another netizen.

Article continues after this advertisement

Image: X

Image: X

Last December, Dantes and his wife Marian Rivera made an appearance on “It’s Showtime” to promote their Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “Rewind,” with Karylle noticeably absent from the show.

Dantes and Karylle first met in the mid-2000s while working together under GMA Network. Their roles, Karylle as Sang’gre Alena and Dantes as Ybarro/Ybrahim in the hit fantasy series “Encantadia” (2005), solidified them as a household love team.

Although the two kept their relationship private, rumors of them being in a relationship started to surface by late 2006. While they never made a formal announcement, the former pair was frequently spotted together at public events and showbiz functions.

In February 2008, Dantes surprised Karylle backstage during her Valentine’s concert titled “Souls In Love,” a gesture that seemingly confirmed their status as a couple to fans and the press.

After nearly two and a half years together, the couple parted ways in late September 2008. In a television interview at the time, Karylle confirmed the separation was due to “conflict of priorities.”

At the time, Dantes was starting to get romantically involved with Rivera as they co-starred in their second series “Dyesebel.” However, both Karylle and Dantes confirmed that there was no third party involved in their previous separation.

Karylle is now married to musician Yael Yuzon, the lead vocalist of the band Sponge Cola, while Dantes and Rivera tied the knot in 2014. The latter couple now has two children, Zia and Sixto. /edv