IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Richard Gutierrez in past, current romances
Having gone from a broken marriage to being in a rumored whirlwind romance, Richard Gutierrez has certainly piqued the interest of his fans toward his love life.
The 40-year-old actor has yet to publicly reveal the current status of his heart amid the rumors linking him to actress Barbie Imperial. While awaiting either a confirmation or denial from the pair, here’s a look back on Gutierrez’s high profile romantic relationships.
Anne Curtis
Gutierrez and actress-TV host Anne Curtis became a couple back when they were both under GMA Network. They starred in several projects together including “Beh Bote Nga” in 1999 and “Love to Love” in 2003.
In a 2010 interview, Curtis revealed that Gutierrez even asked for permission from her previous boyfriend, actor Oyo Sotto, to court the actress.
Speaking about their breakup, Curtis said, “Maybe we were still immature then. It was one of the things we laughed about. And as I said, he’s someone who learns from his mistakes.”
Gutierrez and Curtis only dated for over a year and broke up some time in 2004. Even after their breakup, the pair still top-billed their own movie “In Your Eyes” in 2010.
Gutierrez transferred to ABS-CBN in 2017, while Curtis was already with ABS-CBN since 2004.
Angel Locsin
Gutierrez had a “mutual understanding” with actress Angel Locsin in 2004 while filming the TV series “Mulawin.” Although their romance did not blossom into an official relationship, the pair said they share a special friendship.
“There were things that happened before, but now our relationship is better and healthier,” Locsin said in 2007 when they reunited for a project.
Gutierrez, for his part, stated, “I feel like I was too young then. I was lost and I did not how our relationship would end up.”
“If we had jumped into a relationship then, maybe our friendship would have suffered, or maybe our love team would not be as successful as it is now. It is not hard to love Angel. Whatever we have now, we are happy and we treasure the moments when we’re together. What you see is what you get.”
Georgina Wilson
Gutierrez and fashion model Georgina Wilson dated from 2005 to 2007. At the time, Wilson was pursuing her studies in Australia while Gutierrez was in the Philippines for his showbiz career.
“We broke up basically because I don’t live in the Philippines,” Wilson admitted in a 2010 interview. “Long-distance affairs are so difficult. You leave each other all the time. It’s not easy to have a shared life when you’re not together.”
“Physical proximity, for me, is very important. From experience, hindi talaga maganda ang long-distance affairs. Yun lang talaga ang reason,” she added.
Jewel Mische
While Gutierrez and actress Jewel Mische did not confirm their relationship to the public, the actor revealed in 2010 that they had broken up. The pair was in a relationship for more than three years.
“The thing is… with Richard, what we had—three years of relationship; over three years being together—definitely may nabuong friendship doon (a friendship was built),” Mische said in a 2012 interview.
Solenn Heussaff
After the breakup of Gutierrez and Heussaff, the actor was then linked to actress Solenn Heussaff. The rumors of romance brewing between them arose when they worked together in the reality competition “Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Showdown,” where Gutierrez was the host while Heussaff was a castaway.
While the two shared a special connection, they never confirmed having a relationship and stressed that they were only friends.
Sarah Lahbati
Gutierrez and actress Sarah Lahbati were together for more than a decade, with their relationship being one of the most admired by showbiz observers.
The pair first starred in a project together in 2012. At the time, Gutierrez already admitted that he was “physically attracted” to Lahbati. During the filming for their project, the actor courted Lahbati and the two of them became officially in a relationship by the end of the show.
In 2013, the couple welcomed their first child Zion, but only revealed it to the public in 2014. Four years later, they became a family of four with the birth of their second child, Kai.
The couple then tied the knot in a civil wedding ceremony during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Gutierrez and Lahbati were then hounded by breakup speculations in the latter part of 2023. The actress confirmed in March 2024 that they have parted ways, but said that they have yet to process their annulment at the time.
Barbie Imperial
Gutierrez and Imperial, who is 14 years his junior, first sparked dating rumors in January 2024 after they were spotted together at a bar in Alabang. The pair has since been seen together in several instances, including when the actor and his mom Annabelle Rama attended Imperial’s 26th birthday party last August.
No statements from Gutierrez and Imperial on the matter have been made public yet.
