From Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings’ cheating scandal to Diddy’s sex trafficking allegations—drama unfolds beyond our TV screens.
The world definitely had a great deal of wins in 2024, but like a movie, life is equal parts fun and drama. For many showbiz aficionados, the latter would come in the form of this year’s hottest scandals that even the most seasoned screenwriters couldn’t script.
Whether it was Bea Alonzo and Dominic Roque’s breakup, the cheating allegations involving Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings, Diddy’s sex trafficking allegations, or Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, these controversies made 2024 a year to remember.
The POST rounds up the most shocking celebrity controversies of the year that kept us intrigued, dismayed, and glued to social media.
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Almost-but-not-quite lovers
Philippine entertainment’s breakup list in 2023 was long, with reel-to-real couples Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, and Kim Chiu and Xian Lim topping the bill. 2024 also had its fair share of celebrity separations, starting with Bea Alonzo and Dominique Roque confirming their breakup in February this year.
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Rumors about their breakup began circulating when eagle-eyed fans noticed that the actress was no longer wearing her engagement year on her Instagram posts despite the fact that they were widely publicized to wed this year.
The two finally spilled the truth through a statement posted on their respective social media accounts, saying, “After much thought, consideration, and care, we have mutually decided to amicably end our engagement.” They called it quits almost a year after Dominic proposed in February 2023 and three years since they began dating in January 2021.
Another breakup that shocked the country was that of long-time couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati. The two began dating in 2012 and tied the knot eight years later in 2020 amid the pandemic. Breakup speculations began in late 2023.
Lahbati confirmed their split almost casually in a March 1 interview with ABS-CBN entertainment correspondent MJ Felipe. “I mean, there’s nothing to hide and I think it’s pretty clear to the public,” the actress said.
Despite not being on speaking terms with Richard, Sarah revealed in a previous interview that they both co-parent their children, Zion and Kai. “Well, of course, it’s not ideal for the children. But that’s life and that’ll be fine,” she said.
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Mariel Rodriguez’s ‘gluta drip’ session at the Senate
Mariel Rodriguez made quite a buzz last February, when she posted a picture of herself having a glutathione-drip treatment inside the office of her husband, Senator Robin Padilla. “Drip anywhere is our motto! Hehehe. I had an appointment but I was going to be late so I had it done in my husband’s office,” she captioned her now-deleted Instagram post.
The 39-year-old actress instantly drew flak from social media users who said that the act was a “mockery” and “disrespectful to the Senate.” Some also deemed it as an improper use of Senate property, which is paid for by people’s taxes.
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Rodriguez later clarified in a Facebook video that she was only at the Senate that time to support the passage of the Eddie Garcia bill, which was filed by her husband in 2022. She also said that the session was not for glutathione drip but vitamin C, and that it was done with the supervision of a nurse. The actress added that her purpose for sharing the photo was “to inspire others that even amidst various activities or wherever they are, they can still prioritize their health by taking their vitamins.”
Padilla, meanwhile, wrote a formal apology letter to Senate officials, Dr. Renato Sison of the medical and dental unit, and Sergeant-at-Arms Lt. Gen. Roberto Ancan. “I would never think of violating the Senate’s security protocols, much less disrespecting our institution,” the letter read. “I wish to emphasize that my wife had no intention of disregarding the rules and regulations of the Senate Medical Bureau. Rest assured, this will not happen again.”
4th Impact and their 200 ‘desolate’ dogs
You can never have too many dogs, they say. Among those who took this belief to heart is P-pop girl group 4th Impact, which started a fundraising campaign last February for the construction of the “dreamland” of their “200 Shih Tzu dogs.”
The group, who are real-life sisters, put up a GoFundMe page to ask for funds to help them relocate all their 200 pooches to a “farm lot.” They also explained that they started with five dogs gifted by fans until their “family of dogs eventually multiplied along with their need for space and resources.” However, the sisters said that they were not able to fulfill that need while chasing their dreams in Los Angeles.
A day after the campaign was launched, social media users lambasted the group for their “irresponsible ownership” of their 200 dogs. Veterinarian and welfare groups also stressed the tragic consequences of backyard breeding and inbreeding.
Two months later, one of the group members, Almira, broke her silence and admitted that she “didn’t think carefully” before setting up their fundraising page. “I will do anything in a legal way just to provide for our dogs,” she said, “This post is basically letting everyone know that we are closing this chapter and that we are never irresponsible pet owners.” She added that the funds donated to them were refunded after the page was taken down.
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Diddy’s comeback turned into downfall
It was 17 years ago when hip-hop legend Sean “Diddy” Combs, formerly “P. Diddy,” released his album “Last Train to Paris.” But just as he was about to make a big comeback through his 2024 EP, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” the rapper and record producer’s true “Bad Boy” identity was revealed to the world.
Combs is facing multiple allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and physical violence after three men and four women filed lawsuits against the music mogul in a federal court in New York last October. According to BBC, the cases allege Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting them at various parties in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. The youngest plaintiff was 13 at the time of the alleged incident.
Among the most disturbing allegations came from Cassandra Ventura aka Cassie, who Combs publicly dated for years before their breakup in 2018. Ventura filed a $30 million lawsuit against the rapper in November 2023, accusing him of physical abuse, rape, exposing her to a life of alcohol and drug abuse, and forcing her to carry illicit firearms over 10 years starting 2008. Cassie also accused Diddy of coercing her into participating in “freak offs” where she would have sex with male sex workers while Diddy filmed them and masturbated.
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The accusations grew darker when music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed another case in New York accusing Combs of being the leader of a “widespread and dangerous criminal sex trafficking organization.” Jones, who worked on the rapper’s “Love” album, said that he was forced to “solicit sex workers and perform sex acts to the pleasure of Mr. Combs.”
More than a dozen people have stepped up and filed a lawsuit against the music mogul. In addition, authorities were able to seize narcotics and other materials tied to the allegations during a raid on his Los Angeles mansion. Diddy is now in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. If found guilty, the hip-hop legend will be penalized with life imprisonment.
Julie Anne San Jose’s controversial church ‘concert’
Singer-actress Julie Anne San Jose drew the ire of the Filipino online community after performing for a benefit concert inside the Nuestra Señora Del Pilar Shrine in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.
San Jose was bashed for performing secular songs such as Dancing Queen by ABBA, Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga, and The Climb by Miley Cyrus in front of the altar. Netizens also criticized the singer for wearing a spaghetti strap backless gown during her performance despite the church’s strict dress code.
On top of all this, they criticized the choice of venue, stressing that the church is an inappropriate venue for a secular concert. The singer and her talent agency, Sparkle GMA Artist Center, issued an apology following the incident. “This is a lesson learned, and it is assured that it will not be repeated. I am not perfect, but please know that I have strong beliefs, and my faith is unbreakable and cannot be shaken,” San Jose wrote in a statement.
Meanwhile, parish priest Father Carlito Dimaano, who organized the benefit concert, issued a statement through the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose to apologize to San Jose and the parishioners who were “offended by [their] mistakes during the performance.”
Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings’ cheating issue
Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings surely charmed the hearts of Filipinos with their witty portrayal of the love team “SnoRene” in the hit show Can’t Buy Me Love. But as much as they brought fun to the show, the two actors also brought drama to real life when they faced a cheating controversy earlier this December.
It started when Jennings’ non-showbiz ex-girlfriend, Jam Villanueva, posted several screenshots of the two stars’ private flirty conversations, alleging that they both cheated on her in the months leading to her and Jennings’ breakup. In the conversations, Racal can be read as saying coy phrases, including “I want baby kisses,” “That was so hot,” and “U miss my body?” (which many netizens later turned into memes).
Villanueva dropped the “bombshell” days after Jennings confirmed their breakup and said that he and Racal are just friends. She also said that the actor would always reason out his sweetness to Racal, saying that it was mere “method acting.”
Three days after Villanueva made the big revelation on Dec. 3, Racal broke her silence and explained that she was “lonely” and “in a dark place” when the affair started. Jennings, she said, was there to give her the attention she needed. The actress added that Jennings told her that he was also single when she told her about her breakup with her long-time boyfriend Rico Blanco.
“He would be very sweet to me. He would be such a gentleman to me. He would say things to me. He would tease me on the set in front of other people. He would tell all the people who were close to me that he was single. I was confident to act a certain way around him on the set. Because in the eyes of the people there, we were both single,” Racal said amid tears.
A few hours later, Jennings released a 20-second apology video, saying that he was sorry for hurting Villanueva, Racal, and all those who were dragged into the issue.
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Blake Lively sues It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is another case of work relationship gone sour. Earlier this month, Lively filed a lawsuit against her It Ends with Us co-star, accusing him of sexual harassment before carrying out a smear campaign to ruin her reputation.
In the court documents seen by The London Standard, Lively’s representatives accused Baldoni of biting the actress on the lip during filming, entering her trailer while she was breastfeeding her newborn, trying to discuss pornography with her, and bringing his friend on set to play as a doctor during a birth scene where she was pressured to perform nude.
The actress also alleged that the actor-filmmaker hired Johnny Depp’s crisis communications specialist, Melissa Nathan for his “sophisticated press and digital plan retaliation” that would boost Baldoni’s image while destroying her own. Lively filed the lawsuit with screenshots of emails and texts between Baldoni, Nathan, and her team.
Baldoni’s publicist, Jennifer Abel, denied the accusations, saying that “there was no smear implanted” in their campaigns. “No negative press was ever facilitated, no special combat plan,” she said. “We didn’t have to implement anything because the internet was doing the work for us.”
Lively said that she hopes the lawsuit would help “pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and help protect others who may be targeted.”
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