MANILA – Jodi Sta. Maria does not mind being paired with married actors.

In fact, she likes it that her two leading men in the movie “Achy Breaky Hearts,” Richard Yap and Ian Veneracion, are already taken in real life.

“Para po sa akin, mas madali nga na married sila so mas harmless. Mas madaling katrabaho dahil wala pong ulterior motive. Talagang pagdating sa set, trabaho, propesyonal, kaibigan. Mas pabor po sa akin 'yun,” she said.

Sta. Maria said she has gotten close to both actors that their friendship is more than enough to convey a “kilig” story.

“Naniniwala ako na matalino ang audience natin. Ngayon kasi, mas character-driven 'yung audience natin. Ang kinakapitan nila is 'yung role, 'yung character,” she said.

Prior to doing “Achy Breaky Hearts,” Sta. Maria was first paired with Yap in the hit daytime series “Be Careful with My Heart.” The show was so successful that it ran for two years on television.

On the other hand, Sta. Maria and Veneracion starred in the remake of “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” and the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “All You Need Is Pag-ibig.”

Sta. Maria’s relationship with the two is one of the reasons she could not possibly choose one over the other.

“Siyempre that’s the last thing that I want to happen, na magkaroon ng kaguluhan dahil may Team Tisoy and Team Chinoy. I believe naman na sa storya, naayos maigi 'yung partition ng roles. Walang naging problema doon,” she said.

Instead of being divided, Sta. Maria appeals: “Nakikiusap kami na huwag masyadong personalin ng mga suporters namin ang partnership. Ang pinakamaganda dito is magtulungan tayo, magsuportahan tayo to also make the film work.”

Directed by Antoinette Jadaone, "Achy Breaky Hearts" will be shown in cinemas on June 29.