EXCLUSIVE: Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin Can’t Help But Find Their Way Back to Each Other

By Moira Del Rosario February 05, 2025

’90s love team royalty Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal are back, this time with a surprising dramatic performance and a love that goes beyond their films

Across the studio room, Marvin Agustin called out to Jolina Magdangal, his voice booming with confidence and playfulness. “Lab team! Saan ang premiere?” Marvin joked, revealing that “lab team” are their pet names for each other. The two laughed, but their shared laughter contained several years of friendship, mutual understanding, and a platonic love that transcended their films and shows. After over two decades, iconic ’90s love team Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal are coming back to the big screen to show us how romantic comedy is done with Ex Ex Lovers, this time, with an unexpected drama that surprised both actors.

On Marvin: Shirt by KNICKERBOCKER from SUNSET DRY GOODS, Jacket by PHERROW'S from SUNSET DRY GOODS; On Jolina: Dress by ROSBERT VILLAR, Jacket by SACASAS — ^{On Marvin: Shirt by KNICKERBOCKER from SUNSET DRY GOODS, Jacket by PHERROW’S from SUNSET DRY GOODS; On Jolina: Dress by ROSBERT VILLAR, Jacket by SACASAS}

Nostalgia Hits

We all know that Marvin and Jolina was the it-couple of the ’90s, starring film after film and giving us all the kilig and laughter. What made them stand out was their genre: romantic comedy. “Not a lot of love teams in the Philippines would actually do the kind of genre that we do,” Marvin observed. Many love teams until today have starred in numerous films that centered around romance and drama, but comedy? This was MarJo’s genre, their field of expertise. “Romance and drama, laging may comedy kasi ‘yun talaga kami,” Jolina explained passionately.

Marvin and Jolina's relationship knows no time, distance, or bounds. Despite leading their own lives, they have found solace in one another. — ^{Marvin and Jolina’s relationship knows no time, distance, or bounds. Despite leading their own lives, they have found solace in one another.}

Aside from their excellence in the comedy genre, Marvin also explained how much their energy is a large contribution to their partnership. “It’s actually really based on chemistry,” the actor suggested. “Yes, we would have good materials, we would have good scripts, but it’s in our energy. Parang 50% of the finished product would be from our delivery of the roles and how we would execute the material, the lines, and the characters that we were asked to portray.” With their shared love for entertaining and having fun with each other, their love team not only created a unique energy but also a team worth remembering.

Working together again was always in the cards for MarJo. An answered prayer, Jolina called it. Revealing that the two have actually talked about getting back together for a film again, the only concern was the story and the timing. With a comeback as big as their love team during the ’90s, the two didn’t settle for less and made sure to agree to a story that they felt was “them.”

“Isa ‘to sa pinakamasayang project na hinintay, tinrabaho, at pinilit naming gawin ni labteam. Dream project namin ‘to, makagawa ulit ng pelikula.”
– Marvin Agustin on their comeback film ‘Ex Ex Lovers‘

Destined Reunion

A trip to the past, second chances, and forgiveness. Joy (Jolina Magdangal) is on a quest to find Ced (Marvin Agustin) in Valletta, Malta to walk their daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. Throughout the film, the two past lovers are set on giving their daughter the love that she deserves, which means that Joy and Ced have to work together, and being with each other again entails confronting each other, the past, and the future.

^{^{On Marvin: Shirt by KNICKERBOCKER, Jacket and Pants by PHERROW’S, all from Sunset Dry Goods, Shoes by ASUNCION CLASICA; On Jolina: Dress by ROSBERT VILLAR, Jacket by SACASAS, Shoes by ASUNCION CLASSICA}}

It’s been 20 years since the last time the two were co-stars in a film. You would think that working together again would be difficult, awkward even, as you would be trying to reconnect with the groove you’ve had before, but not for Marvin and Jolina. “Mas personal ang naging difference,” Jolina pondered, laughing about the pettiness during their filming years ago. “But the dynamics of us as a love team, nandoon pa rin. Kung anong gagawin ko, babalikan niya. Kung anong gagawin niya, may idadagdag ako.” Both actors recalled a particular scene during the filming of Ex Ex Lovers where they were simply riding with the script until the movements and dialogues became spontaneous, leading to an emotional scene that wasn’t meant to be emotional at all—a testament to their bond not just as a love team but as best friends.

^{Despite the 25 years, coming together in Ex Ex Lovers was a reunion and a reignition of their deep friendship}

“I’ve never had this kind of working relationship with anyone else, this kind of energy, this kind of movie that we’re doing. I have not had this with other people or other partners before.”
– Marvin Agustin on his working dynamics with Jolina Magdangal

Marvin had the same sentiments as Jolina. “I guess it’s also because of the role. Mas meaningful, mas malalim. Yes, nagpapatawa, pero ‘yung point na nakakaiyak na parts ng character namin sa storya, ang touching niya na hindi namin kailangang umiyak, pero umiiyak kami.” the actor shared thoughtfully. “Masaya din kasi nag-deepen relationship namin. Hindi naiwan ‘yung personal naming relationships with each other na ngayon nagtatrabaho na kami, kaya not much adjustments. For our audience, gusto naming patunayan na ‘yung gusto namin gawing comeback movie ay mapapanindigan namin.”

Genuine Friendship

Being a love team for several years goes beyond their films, and despite already having their own separate lives and work, Marvin and Jolina have always made sure to stay in contact with one another. As work partners for years, the two have found comfort in each other despite the time and distance. During their ’90s, Marvin recalled how supportive they were to each other, especially during overwhelming times. Between all their overlapping projects and provincial shows, they remained supportive, always uplifting and empowering one another. “To be honest, ngayon, mas malalim ‘yung suportahan namin dahil it’s going beyond our professional work. With what we talk about, the things that we confide with each other now, mas malalim. Kung ibang tao, i-jujudge mo, pero dahil kaibigan mo and all emotions are valid, parang mag-eempathize ka at, parang may kausap kang best friend talaga,” Marvin shared with a smile.

^{Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin consider each other as best friends and soulmates}

“Hindi question yung kaming dalawa. Ang question: kailan at ano ang magandang story? Hindi ako sure kung kailan, but alam ko, ramdam ko, at gusto ko magkaroon.”
– Jolina Magdangal on working with Marvin Agustin again

In a fast-paced industry such as showbusiness, Jolina has found a safe space in Marvin, who has proven time and time again that he is just a call away. “‘Pag nagkakabalita ako ng mga nangyayari kay Marvin na mga bagong something, natutuwa ako, support talaga ako. Sobra ko siyang kino-congratulate lagi, and gusto ko rin kasi ma-feel din niya na sobra rin niya akong na-uplift,” the actress responded.

“May party akong pupuntahan noon, it was a big event. Tinawagan ko siya. ‘Lab team, kailangan mo kong partneran dito. Hindi ako makahinga.’ Kailangan ko ng safe space. Agad naman. Ang laking bagay nun para sa akin at lagi kong pinagmamalaki ‘yun na any time pwede ko siyang tawagan. Napatunayan ko naman na trusted na namin ang isa’t isa. Nakikita ko rin na hindi siya nag-tetake advantage ng ganun.” Knowing that Marvin would go above and beyond for her and vice versa, Jolina could only describe it as a soulmate-friendship—the kind that transcended films, mountains, and horizons.

A Letter To Their Old Self

Their upcoming film Ex Ex Lovers confronts their character’s past, both the beautiful and the ugly. Now, MEGA asked the two actors what they would tell their younger selves, to which Marvin answered: to worry less and to enjoy his time with his friends. “I was doing my work as an actor because I needed to survive, I needed to help the family, I needed the job. ‘Yun naman ang naging fuel ko to perform because natatakot ako na mawalan ako ng next project,” the actor joked, but he pondered more.

“To worry less and enjoy the time with your friends. Yes, we were enjoying, we were playing pero naka-serious mode ako. These people that you are working with now, these are the people that you would be with hanggang pagtanda mo. So far, magtatatlong dekada na, magkakasama pa rin kami, nagsusuportahan. Kung ngayon, ang sarap na ng friendship namin. Treasure them more para mas masarap pa lalo yung friendship niyo, three, four, five, six decades from where you are now, little Marvin.”

Looking back, Marvin and Jolina are more than happy with where life took them, so long as it leads them back to each other. — ^{Looking back, Marvin and Jolina are more than happy with where life took them, so long as it leads them back to each other}

For Jolina, on the other hand, it was to enjoy the ride despite the hardships and sacrifices she faced. “Happy lang dapat ako palagi dahil masarap mag-recall pag nagkaedad na,” the actress started, eyes starting to water. “Oo, meron mga sacrifices, but worth it dahil binigyan ako ng mabuting asawa at mababait na anak. Kahit nag-start ako from scratch sa asawa ko, di kami nahirapan. Okay lang na meron kang hindi napagdaanan nung bata ka dahil masmasaya yung buhay na magkakaroon ka kapag nagkaedad ka na.”

_{Photographed by BELG BELGICA. Creative Direction by ANDREW ENCAPAS and MOIRA DEL ROSARIO. Makeup by BRYAN CUIZON and CARISSA CIELO MEDVED. Hair by JAN EDROSOLAN. Grooming by WAW SALUD, Assisted by AURELIO SALUD and GERVIN ROSZ MACAWILI. Styled by QUAYNE PEDROSO. Shoot Coordination by JOANA FERNANDO. Shot on location THE VILLA STUDIO}