Amid recent controversies, Janella Salvador says she is 'happy and content'

Kapamilya actress Janella Salvador. ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Kapamilya actress Janella Salvador is not letting herself be weighed down by recent controversies involving her personal life, and is instead celebrating as wins and blessings pour in for her.

"I've been blessed with a lot of things lately," Salvador said on Saturday, on the sidelines of a shoot for her latest television series. "Happy ako … Right now, all aspects of my life are good."

Salvador is set to appear on the new series "What Lies Beneath," which will also feature Charlie Dizon, Kaila Estrada, Sue Ramirez, Jake Cuenca, and JM De Guzman. The show marks Salvador's return to TV since "Darna," wherein she starred as Valentina/Regina Vanguardia. 

READ: ABS-CBN announces seven new shows and star-studded movies

In October, she will also star in the Cinemalaya film "Open Endings" -- a story of four queer women who are exes turned best friends. This is Salvador's first sapphic role, and she will share the screen with Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Klea Pineda, and Leanne Mamonong.

In a recent Instagram post, the actress also hinted at a "powerful brand campaign" that she recently shot.

"Very busy," she quipped. "Booked and busy."

All this did not come without issue, however. Salvador was alleged to have been the third party that led to Pineda's breakup with her longtime girlfriend, Katrice Kierulf -- a split that the Kapuso actress confirmed in July. 

While Pineda made it clear in an interview with Boy Abunda last July 18 that there was no third party involved, rumors fired up when she and Salvador were spotted together outside of work. The speculation reached a fever pitch when Kierulf appeared to have liked comments on TikTok suggesting that Salvador played a role in their split.

Pineda addressed the issue once more during the GMA Gala in early August, where she again shut down the allegations. "Ako na nagsasabi mismo sa inyo na walang third party na nangyari," she said. "Yung closeness namin ni Janella inevitable siya kasi magkasama kami sa film. So, kaming apat sa film, si Jasmine, si Leanne, si Janella and me, 'yung closeness namin talagang nadevelop during shooting days namin."

READ: Klea Pineda shuts down rumors linking Janella Salvador to her split with Katrice Kierulf

Salvador broke her silence during the Cinemalaya press conference earlier this month, where she also made it clear that she had nothing to do with Pineda and Kierulf's breakup.

"Hindi po ako part ng breakup. Hindi po ako third party. I'd like to exclude myself from that," she said.

READ: Janella Salvador denies involvement in Klea-Katrice breakup -- 'Hindi po ako third party'

'WE FORMED A REAL BOND'

While she acknowledges the recent controversies involving her name, Salvador is staying focused on the positives.

"I'm happy that work is pouring [in] right now… I get to work on TV, I get to work on a movie, which we just finished. And, ayun, I've just been working," she said.

"[I am] at peace, happy, and content," Salvador also said.

As for the real score between her and Pineda, Salvador said: "We're close. We get along really well. For now, I guess that's all I'd like to share."

"I've been happy these past few days. Like you said, you can see how happy I am," she added. "I don't have to translate that na siguro."

She admits that their closeness has gone beyond the confines of work, but the actress points out that all four of them -- Curtis-Smith and Mamonong included -- formed a genuine bond during the shooting of "Open Endings." In the lead-up to Cinemalaya, they have appeared together at the Pride March and attended fundraising events for their film.

READ: Stars of 'Open Endings' embrace responsibility, privilege of portraying queer women on screen

"When we were on set, doon lang kami naging close. We really got to know each other doon sa set… I'm very honest when I say the four of us really, really got along. So like, kapag magkakasama kaming apat, ang saya-saya talaga namin. As in, masaya talaga kami," said Salvador. "Walang bad energy at all."

"So that's why it wasn't hard for us to get close, to get to know each other, na hindi lang siya 'yung pang-showbiz. Talagang we formed a real bond," she also said.

Amid the controversies and the questions that continue to hound her, she is sticking to her word.

"Whatever you see, hindi naman ako nagtatago. I'm not hiding anything. I'm not guilty of anything rin," Salvador stressed. "So kung ano 'yung nakikita niyo, 'yun na 'yun. That's what I always say."

"Open Endings," directed by Nigel Santos and written by Keavy Vicente, is part of the 2025 Cinemalaya Film Festival that runs from October 3-12. 

'MOTHERING' ON 'WHAT LIES BENEATH'The stars of the upcoming TV series "What Lies Beneath." [L-R] Janella Salvadoor, Charlie Dizon, Kaila Estrada, and Sue Ramirez at the ABS-CBN Training Hall, September 13, 2025. ABS-CBN NewsSalvador is also excited for "What Lies Beneath," which welcomed Estrada as the newest addition to their cast.

"It's been a long process for me. I've been excited for this show for a long, long time. So happy ako na finally, ito na 'yung final casting, we get to finally ... 'Yung pinaghirapan namin, we get to put it out there," she said.

"And, I'm happy na 'yung mga nakakatrabaho ko dito ay magagaling talaga. Like we said kanina sa interview, talagang nagbabatuhan lang kami ng energy on the set. It's nice to be working with people who are great, and at the same time, who you really get along with," she added.

The mystery drama series will see Salvador play a mother for the first time.

"It's my first mother role and sakto pa actually, 'cause my son on this show is the same age as Jude. So, yeah, it's a different experience," the actress said.

Salvador says that being a mother has helped her with this new series: "Bilang artista, nakatulong siya sa akin. Mas marami akong paghuhugutan na emotions, 'yung reason kung ba't ako bumabangon araw-araw."

As busy as she is with her career, Salvador stresses that her priority remains her son, who is now four years old.

"Minsan, sinasama ko siya work, para ma-balance pa rin. Kasi he still needs my attention now that he's four," she said. "When I go to work, tina-try ko siyang isama kapag kaya ko. And when I'm not working, ayun, nasa house ako, inaalagaan ko si Jude."

She has a "civil" relationship with her ex-partner, Markus Patterson, who continues to co-parent Jude despite being out of the country.

"I'm not gonna say that co-parenting is easy. It's really not. 'Cause parang it's always gonna be full of adjustments, compromise, ganiyan. So you really need a lot of communication for that," said Salvador. "I think right now, we're okay naman. We're steady."

"He's actually not in the country right now, he's finally like working on his dream. Nagpapadala siya kay Jude when he can. So we're okay, we're okay right now," she added. -- with a report from MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News

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