Lance Joseph Martinez

Catriona Gray to Make Long-Awaited Acting Debut in Valentine’s Romance ‘The Loved One’

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<p>After releasing her first-ever <strong></strong>Christmas<strong></strong> song last year, another milestone is unfolding for <strong>Catriona Gray</strong> as she officially steps into a brand-new chapter of her career: acting. The <strong>Miss Universe 2018</strong> is set to make her acting debut in the bittersweet Valentine’s film <strong><em>The Loved One</em></strong>, starring alongside <strong>Jericho Rosales </strong>and <strong>Anne Curtis.</strong></p><p>Catriona first hinted at her acting venture back in December 2025 during an exclusive interview with <a href="https://metro.style/people/2025/12/2/catriona-gray-shares-why-every-christmas-holds-a-special-place-in-her-heart-1457"><strong>Metro.Style</strong></a>, where she opened up about carefully weighing the decision before saying yes to the project. For her, taking on an acting role was never about adding another title to her name—it was about doing justice to the craft.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769489594681viber_image_2026-01-27_09-07-22-691.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo courtesy of Cornerstone</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>“The main consideration would be that I would want to be able to execute the role well. <em>Ayoko na sasali lang ako sa </em>cast for the name factor <em>tapos</em> <em>hindi</em> <em>ako magaling. </em>So I’m so nervous, but also very excited for people to see that it was an opportunity that I learned a lot from. And yeah, I’m a little bit nervous,” she shared, candidly expressing both her excitement and anxiety about appearing on screen for the first time.</p><p>Beyond the nerves, Catriona sees <em>The Loved One</em> as an opportunity to grow as an artist and explore a new creative space. Directed by <strong>Irene Villamor<em></em></strong>, the film tells the story of two former lovers whose paths cross again after years of separation. The teaser hints at nostalgia and unresolved emotions, showing the pair reminiscing about their past—from fun nights out to intimate dates—while revealing that nearly a decade has passed since they last saw each other.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769489655601viber_image_2026-01-27_09-07-55-732.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo courtesy of Cornerstone</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Working with <em>Direk </em>Irene was a major factor in Catriona’s decision to accept the role. Known for her signature romantic dramas such as <strong><em>Sid &amp; Aya: Not a Love Story </em></strong><em></em><em></em>and<em></em><em></em><strong><em> Only We Know</em></strong><em></em><em>,</em><em></em><strong><em></em></strong> the director is someone Catriona deeply admires.</p><p>“I really love her energy, and <em>siguro meron akong</em> feeling that you would really walk me through it, and she really did. And of course, when I heard who the other cast was, I was very flattered <em>naman</em> to be considered as a very newbie. So, it was an incredible experience for me,” she said.</p><p>Despite being new to acting, Catriona described her first experience on set as nothing short of heartwarming. She recalled how everyone made sure she felt comfortable and supported, something she considers a reflection of their character both on and off camera.</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTseOHKE-Sg/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A5839149%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>“I’m very proud to be a part of this as my first acting stint. But it is a really beautiful story, and <em>siguro</em> that was the biggest reason<em> kung</em><em> bakit nag-</em>yes <em>ako</em>,” she added.</p><p>What made her debut even more special was the chance to work alongside Jericho and Anne, two actors she has long admired.</p><p>“I really respect them both equally in their craft,” Catriona said, describing how honored she felt to share scenes with the seasoned stars.</p><p>She admitted that her first day of filming was intimidating, especially as a newcomer, but her nerves quickly eased thanks to the warm environment on set. According to Catriona, everyone—from the crew to her co-stars—went out of their way to make her feel at ease.</p><p>“And so, it was just such an enjoyable experience,” she revealed.</p><p>She also shared how amazed she was watching Jericho and Anne work so effortlessly.</p><p>“I was really observing how everything goes. I was so amazed <em>kasi nagba-</em>banter <em>lang silang dalawa sa</em> scene and then <em>biglang kapag</em> ready <em>na ang</em> camera, [ready <em>na agad</em>]. And I was like, ‘Woah, <em>ang</em> cool!’”</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@metrodotstyle/video/7598912706908851477" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7598912706908851477" id="v43112583500169656" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe style="width:100%;height:758px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:758px" name="__tt_embed__v43112583500169656" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7598912706908851477?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fpersonal%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-01-27T03%3A19%3A58.447509%3A808b7460-44e8-4f50-bfb4-56f597c3ba85%26action%3Dedit"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong><em>Produced by Cornerstone and Viva Films, The Loved One stars Jericho Rosales, Anne Curtis, and Catriona Gray, and opens in cinemas nationwide on February 11.</em></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Lead photos by <strong>Cornerstone</strong></p>

<p>After releasing her first-ever Christmas song last year, another milestone is unfolding for Catriona Gray, as the Miss Universe 2018 officially steps into acting with her debut in the bittersweet Valentine’s film "<i>The Loved One</i>."</p>

After releasing her first-ever Christmas song last year, another milestone is unfolding for Catriona Gray, as the Miss Universe 2018 officially steps into acting with her debut in the bittersweet Valentine’s film " The Loved One ."

Catriona Gray to Make Long-Awaited Acting Debut in Valentine’s Romance Movie ‘The Loved One’

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Catriona Gray to Make Long-Awaited Acting Debut in Valentine’s Romance Movie ‘The Loved One’

Lance Joseph Martinez

Published Jan 27, 2026 02:45 PM PHT

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Catriona Gray

The Loved One

Jericho Rosales

Anne Curtis

Acting

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