Actor John Lloyd Cruz on Tuesday, Oct. 24, confirmed his relationship with artist Isabel Santos.

“Si Isabel ay girlfriend ko. Boyfriend niya ko,” he said during an episode of Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.

“Matagal na kaming magkakilala. Gallery nila yung una kong pinasok na gallery. It was at the time na bago pa lang akong tumigil with ABS-CBN,” he added.

Cruz noted that after pausing his acting career, he explored the art circle and wound up in Isabel’s gallery where he met her family.

“Napadpad ako sa page-explore ng [art circle] so gallery nila yung una kong napasok. Sila yung mga una kong nakilala, family nila, kung sino yung patrons ng gallery nila ayun matagal na kami magkakilala,” he said.

But despite having known each other for a while, the 40-year-old actor said they did not develop a relationship during that time.

“We were talking before pero hindi nag-evolve into something ideal for us at the time. Mula noon present na rin siya sa buhay ko,” he added.

Isabel Santos is a painter and the granddaughter of Filipino cartoonist and illustrator Mauro “Malang” Santos.