Saving Grace star Julia Montes shared a glimpse of her sweet moments with German father Martin Schnittka, whom she called “gentle giant,” showing cute snaps of their failed attempt to a “cool” pose. 

“Moments with Papa… sabi nya sa’kin sa first photo duling-dulingan daw siya, hindi naman halata. At sa sobrang kulit ko di ko napansin baligtad na spell ko ng ‘Cool.” Hirap kasi tumingkayad, ang tangkad ni papa eh,” she jokingly said in her Instagram post’s caption. 

The Kapamilya actress concluded her caption with an endearing phrase: “Love you, my gentle giant.” 

This is not the first time Julia has shared about her father on social media.  

In December 2016, she reunited with her father after more than two decades of being apart.  

“Hindi ko akalain na darating ang araw na ito, (na) makikita at makakasama ko siya,” she said in her 2016 post, showing their first photo together after 21 years.  

In that post, Julia expressed her gratitude to those who stood as her father figures growing up. 

“Sa mga naging tatay-tatayan ko salamat din sa inyo dahil lalo kong na-appreciate ang Papa ko dahil sa inyo,” she wrote.

The Kapamilya actress credited her cousin, Michelle, and the CocoJul supporters as bridges that connected her to her dad.  

Julia and her mother were abandoned by her German father when she was still a baby.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Julia shared that her father kept on apologizing for what he had done during their first meeting.  

“Nag-sorry siya. Nagkuwentuhan kami kung ano 'yung nangyari before, kung bakit hindi siya nakabalik. Nalaman niya kung paano 'yung naging buhay ko from bata ako hanggang sa paglaki. Nag-sorry lang siya ng nag-sorry habang umiiyak siya. Hindi na ako nakapagsalita,” she recounted. 

Kapamilya actor-director Coco Martin, told PUSH ABS-CBN in a 2017 interview that he nearly cried upon seeing his partner’s reunion photos with her biological father. 

“Siyempre po napakasarap sa pakiramdam," he said. “Sabi ko nga parang nakita ko nga lang yung mga pictures doon sa Instagram parang naiiyak na ako kasi alam ko kung gaano kahalaga 'yun para sa kanya noong time na napagku-kwentuhan namin 'yun. Kaya happy ako para sa kanya." 

Coco further stated that it was Julia’s dream to meet his father: “Talagang 'yun yung kulang sa buhay niya ang makilala ang father niya.” 

Julia currently stars the drama television series Saving Grace, alongside rising child star Zia Grace, Megastar Sharon Cuneta, and other veteran actors and actresses in the industry.

 —By Clarence Gillego