Television host Kim Atienza supported actress-comedienne Kakai Bautista after the management of Thai actor Mario Maurer, whom she has worked with years before, issued a demand letter against her.
The Kwaonhar Nine Nine Co., Ltd. asked the comedienne to stop using their talent’s name and referencing him directly or indirectly.
In a letter sent to Bautista’s agency, Maurer’s management accused the comedienne of supposedly using the actor’s name in an “unauthorized” way.
“We have been informed of unauthorized use of Mario Maurer name by several events, and it has come to our attention that your talent, Catherine ‘Kakai’ Bautista is the person who continues to use the name of Mario Maurer to attach to herself without consent nor knowledge,” it said.
“By so using the name of our talent, Catherine ‘Kakai’ Bautista is improperly exploiting the name, image and reputation of Mario Maurer and his manager, and may be violating existing laws of the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Thailand,” the letter added.
Maurer’s management also reportedly attached copies of articles in which Bautista said that she and the actor have told each other “I love you” and that he was the reason she felt secure amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter was issued to Bautista on Monday. The day after, she shared a picture of herself in a swimsuit and enjoying the beach with the following caption:
“Hoooh hirap pag sobrang gandaaaa (rolling-on-the-floor-laughing emoji). ISMAYL nalang si Tyang sa mga taong ayaw tumigil (similar emoji).”
Bautista also included the following hashtags in her post: “#dentaldiva #Kapit #kakaiAdbentyurs”
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Atienza, who read an article about the issue, told Bautista that she deserves to be linked to someone who is “more deserving” of her and her talent.
“In other news, hayaan mo @kakaibautista. You deserve to be linked to someone more deserving of you and your talent. Kainis,” he tweeted in response to the reports.
Other Filipinos also backed the actress following Atienza’s post.
“That’s a bit much. They’re not worth the heartache and the headache. Hayaan n’yo na. Good riddance to them, Kakai,” a Twitter user said.
Bautista worked with Maurer in the 2012 romantic film “Suddenly It’s Magic,” where the Thai actor served as the onscreen partner of Erich Gonzales.
The comedienne in 2019 said that she and the actor never became a couple, although she admitted of saying she fell for his “realness.”
