Joshua Garcia flexes his leading man strengths anew as he, together with first-time co-lead Ivana Alawi, paints a love story complicated by betrayal and time in the romantic drama series "Love Is Never Gone." Bringing something new to the table (exploring action and a more narratively demanding role this time), the Kapamilya actor takes pride in this latest addition to his growing body of work.
“Excited ako sa project namin. And hindi lang ako excited para sa sarili ko, I’m excited for everyone, sa buong cast,” he said in an episode of Kapamilya Chat, adding that he's looking forward to audiences experiencing the intricate tale of "Love Is Never Gone."
It follows the romance between Teo (Joshua) and con artist Yana (Ivana) a.k.a. Chameleon. As Joshua puts it, a betrayal would set off a chain of events in the plot. "Doon na magsisimula 'yung story, kung magihiganti ba 'yung character ko," he teased, before hinting that the woman Teo thought was gone suddenly reappears in the present.
A huge part of the series' appeal lies in its cinematic feel. Departing from the usual teleserye format, "Love Is Never Gone" drops viewers straight into the narrative, with hour-long episodes that are already packed from the start, "Malawak-lawak 'yung story namin." The Morocco backdrop is also bigger in scale, making it the perfect setup for a more action-driven, slightly unexpected side of him, which he prepared for through several days of training.
Joshua had a blast filming the action-packed sequences, "Parang binabasa ko pa lang 'yung script, na-imagine ko na rin 'yung scene. Gano'n ka-excited." He loved every bit of it except, of course, the unforgiving heat. "Habang tumatagal, parang, nakakapagod. Grabe kasi mag-action dito sa Pilipinas, mainit. Alam mo naman, ‘pag-action star, naka-jacket, ‘di ba? So, ang hirap mag-action na naka-jacket ka palagi," he smiled. "Saludo ako sa mga action star ng Pilipinas. Kasi ang hirap sa weather natin..... tapos ilang beses mo uulitin, ‘di ba? Tapos hindi maiwasan na may masasaktan."
As for his approach to his character, Joshua tried to be more intuitive than calculated, "Parang kikilalanin ko na lang ‘yung character habang ginagawa ko siya. Sa [paggawa ng] series, you have time din para makilala talaga ‘yung character mo."
We’ve always known how his deep-set eyes can do all the talking—one look and you’re completely hooked. That signature 'mata-mata' acting is once again on full display in this new project. When asked about his much-praised acting style, the Kapamilya heartthrob brushed it off, joking that people are just flattering him. Still he credits it to experience, noting that, like any craft, it simply comes with time.
On chemistry with Ivana
The project was an easy 'yes' for Joshua, knowing who he’d be working with, particularly Ivana. And for a first pairing, the connection between them translates naturally on screen. Despite skipping the usual chemistry workshops, they made the scenes work just by open back-and-forth.
He also credits their director, Manny Palo, for helping bring that connection out on screen. Joshua recalled how Direk Manny would remind them not to rush, giving them more space to really work on a scene together.
As for Ivana, she may not have perfected the task right away, but Joshua observed how she grew into the role and improved a lot as filming went on. "And then ngayon na parang patapos na [ang filming], grabe na 'yung lalim niya. Ang bilis na niya umiyak, mas mabilis na siya umiyak sa akin parang naka-pressure," he said in jest.
Joshua shared that his leading lady is exactly how people see her on her vlogs—just a little more guarded at first, which he thinks is completely normal. But even in real life, her generosity stands out. She keeps everyone on set well-fed. "Kaya busog kami palagi sa set," he revealed. "Like kahapon, nag-shoot kami nasa Tagaytay kami, tapos, biglang binigay niya 'yung phone niya sa akin, sabi ko, 'Ano yan?' Pinapapili niya pala ako [ng oorderin]. Menu na pala... Mahilig siya manlibre. Dami niyang pakain palagi sa set. Minsan may dala pa siya mangga tapos ipapamigay niya sa set."
Joshua on JMFyang: "Ibang-iba sila sa akin"
Also part of the series are Joshua's fellow "Pinoy Big Brother" babies JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith, better known as JMFyang. While he could have easily drawn comparisons to his own rookie days in the industry, he admits JM and Fyang are way more impressive. They carry a certain level of awareness and confidence that he felt his younger version lacked.
"Ibang-ibang sila sa akin," he opened up. "Kasi ako, nag-start ako sa industry tahimik ako. Parang, tatanga-tanga pa ako sa mga acting, ganyan. Pero sila, ang galing nila. Like, first salang nila, marunong sila. Marunong sila makinig. Marunong sila mag-observe," he talked of the loveteam.
He pointed out that JM puts himself out there, mingling with people instead of just staying in his comfort zone or inside the waiting area, while Fyang brings the bubbly, playful energy. "Hindi ko nagagawa 'yun no'ng bago ako, ha. Napaka-terror na Direk Manny pero [si Fyang] nakakapag-biro siya sa harap ni Direk Manny."
JaneShua reunites in “Love Is Never Gone”
The reunion of JaneShua, or the tandem of Joshua and Jane Oineza, first shipped during their "PBB" days, is another point of interest for the viewers, especially their OG fans. After the ABS-CBN teleserye "Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita" in 2015 and their film "Fruitcake" in 2024, "Love Is Never Gone" brings them back together, with more scenes to look forward to this time around (they're playing ex-lovers in the story).
Joshua considers this a well-deserved gift for their supporters who have waited long enough for this moment. He shared it's always been a breeze working with Jane, especially now that they’ve both grown into their craft. "Actually, enjoy akong ka-eksena si Jane kasi parang alam niya na 'yung ibabato ko palagi. Siguro 'yan na din 'yung dala na rin ng tagal namin sa industry," he mused.
It all comes back to love
While Joshua describes love as the heart of the show, this isn’t your typical love story. It explores how that feeling endures, and whether it can still find its way back when everything seems lost.
"Love Is Never Gone” premieres on Prime Video on May 8, with new episodes released every Friday. Also part of its star-studded cast are Jameson Blake, Michael de Mesa, Epy Quizon, and Dina Bonnevie.
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