This series quickly became one of my favorites after watching a few episodes. However, after reading tweets from alt accounts and news reports, I stumbled upon Alessandra de Rossi's bitter remarks against ABS-CBN. She nearly used COVID-19 as an excuse to avoid supporting the network during its franchise battle with President Duterte, until I discovered the real reason behind her resentment. Her silent grudge stemmed from a casting decision of producers in this show, it's so funny that she refused to show even minimal support online for the very network that once filled her tummy and bank account.
Apparently, she was initially promised the leading lady role opposite Piolo Pascual, but the part ultimately went to Arci Muñoz, an actress whose face changes every single year due to constant plastic surgery that almost makes her unrecognizable like a molded clay.
As for Piolo's playboy character in the series, it's hard to believe he would fall for De Rossi. This isn't a May-December romance drama, a leading lady should have a captivating presence. De Rossi, despite being younger than Pascual in real life, always looked more like his aunt than his love interest. Honestly, neither of these actresses felt like a fitting match for him. The producers should have at least cast Jodi Sta. Maria or Beauty Gonzalez, the show might have been a hit.
The storyline itself is well-crafted, but I believe the show suffered from low ratings primarily because Arci simply doesn't have the gravitas of a true leading lady, especially alongside someone like Piolo. Muñoz's previous teleserye, Pasión de Amor, only found success because the rest of the cast already had an established fan base and the show
was Telenovela adaptation. In contrast, "Since I Found You" relied almost entirely on Piolo's star power, who, let's be honest, only cemented his fanbase and career through his legendary team-up with the soap-opera legend Judy Ann Santos.
All in all, it's not a terrible show, it's actually worth watching. But the irony of De Rossi holding a grudge against ABS-CBN over a casting decision is amusing. Has anyone looked into the producers of her Netflix films? Most were either self-produced or backed by her sister's husband. Let's be real, she's not leading lady material, and neither is Arci.
I just hope this series gets the proper refinement it deserves if ever a reboot happens years down the line. But overall, Empoy is a delight, his comedic timing is genuinely entertaining.
