“Will You Be My Ex?” is not just the title of the romantic comedy that pairs for the first time Julia Barretto and Diego Loyzaga.

The line is unbelievably hard to say to just anybody whom you were in a relationship with in the past.

“Definitely, I will not say or ask that to anybody, especially a guy whom I got involved with,” Barretto told ABS-CBN News.

“I’m focusing right now on sharing the word about our film, because this is a film that we’re very much so proud of. So as much people we can share this film about, the better.

“I’ll also start working on a new film first week of July. But for this one, the energy over-all on the set when we did this film last year, everybody was so positive, everybody went along well. Everything was just so natural.”

Although this is Barretto’s first time to work with Loyzaga on the big screen, they are not total strangers to each other when it comes to working together. When they were teens, they previously worked together in teleseryes on TV.

Barretto played the title role in “Petrang Paminta,” a series in “Wansapanataym” (2013), where Loyzaga was one of her co-stars. A year later, they also starred together in the afternoon drama series, “Mirabella.”

However, it is only now that Barretto and Loyzaga are given the chance to be paired together in the rom-com, “Will You Be My Ex?,” directed by Real Florido.

“I’m so excited to work with Diego because he’s been a friend of mine for a very long time,” Barretto said. “We worked together twice already on TV when we were younger.

“This time around, we’re a bit older, more mature and I’m excited to have worked with him in a very interesting story. Absolutely no awkwardness. We’ve known each other for quite a long time and we even became friends doing this.

“I very much trust Diego. It’s a safe place. We very much trust each other. Swabe lang lahat. Besides, we’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“Will You Be My Ex?” is one film that Barretto readily gave her nod to after merely hearing the story, without even reading the script yet.

“Without even seeing the script, I told myself gagawin ko siya,” Barretto said. “The script was just the icing on the cake.”

For his part, Loyzaga rarely watched romantic films. “It’s just not my cup of tea,” he maintained. “Doing this film which is romance, but this is not your typical romance film.

“Anyone who’s ever been in a relationship, this film will get to you. It’s not a cheesy Disney ending. Without revealing too much, you will really feel what the characters are going through. With Julia and Bea [Binene], I knew this is a great project that’s why I said yes.”

Based on her personal experience on exes, Barretto never intends to rekindle anything with any of them.

“The relationships I’ve been in the past, it’s clear that we’re better off on separate ways,” Barretto explained. “With others, it works so we support that they try again and it works out. It’s just not the case for me. I’m just very happy now.”

Meanwhile, Loyzaga insisted once someone becomes your ex, she’s your past. “I guess exes are on a case-to-case basis,” he said. “More times rather than not, I think there are some people out there that when you break up, they will still be friends.

“I think there are couples like that. There are others that need a lot of time to heal so when you see each other again, it’s not toxic anymore. You will not fight again.

“There are some people I know when they break up, they don’t burn bridges. But that does not apply to anyone.”

Barretto admittedly loves working and she keeps an admirable work life balance. “I think I’ve already gotten to a point in my life where there’s so much balance,” she maintained. “My work-life balance is steady.

“The amount of work I do, I am given the same amount of time to recharge, to reconnect, regroup and really rest. That’s something that I really want to achieve for a long time. At 26, it’s something that I have already.

“I’ve been able to figure out and at the same time, even if the work can be non-stop for days, then you are given only three days to rest, that’s okay to me. I’m still young so kinakaya pa ng endurance ko.

“Hinahanap pa siya ng katawan ko. So really, no complaints. I’m in a good place and time in my life.”

“Will You Be My Ex?” is Florido’s third project for Viva following “Habang Buhay,” with McCoy de Leon and Elise Joson that was shown on Vivamax last year. The second is “Bakit Hindi Mo Sabihin,” starring Janine Gutierrez and JC De Vera.

“Usually, the process from my end and my team, the story comes first,” said Florido. “In terms of pitching the project to actors, Julia was the first one to hear about the project.

• Bea Binene appears on ‘Magandang Buhay’ for the first time

“When she heard about the story, wala ng usapan. She said, ‘Go na ‘yan.’ Julia is an independent actress, no longer in a love team. After she said yes, naghanap kami kung sino ‘yung pwede at the moment. Diego was a really good fit for the project during that time.

“In my process, it’s different. We chose an actor, we didn’t shoot right away. We really had outside production sessions. We went out and talked. We really had to get to know each other. We need to feel how it is to work with each other.”

Also joining the cast of “Will You Be My Ex?” are Bea Binene, Phoemela Barranda, Benj Manalo, Divine Aucina, Ashtine Ortiga, Juan Carlos Galano and Debbie Garcia.