Fans of the beloved historical fiction novel I Love You Since 1892 are disappointed as it was announced that their favorite tandem, Marlo Mortel and Janella Salvador, known as MarNella, will not be reuniting for the series adaptation.
Marlo Mortel posted on his Instagram on Tuesday that, unfortunately, he would not reprise his role as Juanito Alfonso, the idealistic doctor who falls for the time-travelling heroine Carmela Isabella from the bestselling novel. News of this downcast many who had long dreamed of seeing Mortel and Salvador bring the iconic love story to life on screen.
I Love You Since 1892 (ILYS1892) by Mia Alfonso in 2016 tells the story of Carmela Isabella, a 21st-century woman who mysteriously finds herself transported to the Spanish colonial Philippines. There, she meets Juanito, a romance fraught with tragic cultural dislocation across the ages.
The novel gained popularity in 2018 when the physical edition was published under ABS-CBN with Mortel and Salvador on the cover as Juanito and Carmela. With this, the overwhelming support from the fans resulted in the choice to lead a film adaptation, as their chemistry set fire to many of their previous works as a love team.
Adding to fans’ hopes was Alfonso herself, who tweeted in 2017 that she envisioned MarNella as the lead couple should any of her works ever hit the screen. However, the author has since commented on the casting issues, defending the production under Viva One and Wattpad Webtoon.
Alfonso clarified that even though she had made her preferences known in the past, creative decisions about the casting were beyond her control. She voiced her support for the director Mac Alejandre and all other production teams involved and encouraged fans to keep an open mind.
Despite Alfonso’s assurances, the reception from MarNella supporters has been mixed, with many expressing their disappointment online and deeming the decision a missed opportunity to honor the original vision that helped propel the novel to fame.
I love you since 1892 adaptation will be streaming soon on Viva One, with Heaven Peralejo, Jerome Ponce, and Joseph Marco as the main casts, directed by the award-winning filmmaker McArthur C. Alejandre.
