Issa Pressman on mixed reactions to romance with James Reid: 'I wouldn’t have gone through that situation if it wasn’t for him'
Issa Pressman and James Reid are becoming more and more open about their romance.
In a recent interview with entertainment outlet PUSH, the two opened up about how they are able to get past the challenges in their relationship.
“Honestly, I think every single couple who goes through challenges, that’s a good test to know how you’re gonna be there for each other,” Issa said, when asked about the mixed reactions they've been getting from social media users since they became Instagram official early this year.
"I think that moment really proved to me how much of a supportive boyfriend I have," she said.
“I really felt like, I wouldn’t have gone through that situation if it wasn’t for him. He really made me feel comfortable, strong, safe, very much protected. And he always made me see the positive in every single negative, you know, and that brought up the positivity in me. But I’m happy. We’re happy,” she added.
Issa shared that they are protective and “obsessed” with each other, recalling the time when James took care of her when she got sick and had to undergo surgery to remove a "couple" of cysts from her vocal cords.
“He’s obsessed with me, I’m obsessed with him, we're obsessed with each other,” she said.
“Like making sure that we’re eating right, he’s making sure that my health is correct because of my throat operation. He makes sure that I don’t talk much when I’m not supposed to,” she explained.
For his part, James shared that the relationship challenges they have faced only made their bond stronger.
“It’s honestly better than ever. Like, we’ve been through a lot this year and it really tested us and it made us even stronger, like, more than I could’ve imagined,” he said. “I’m just happy.”
Issa and James sparked dating rumors last March, when they shared photos of each other during Harry Styles' Love on Tour concert in Manila. The photos included a mirror selfie as they held each other's hands.
But their "soft launch" got mixed reactions, as Issa had been accused of being a third party during James's relationship with Nadine Lustre. James and Nadine announced their breakup in January 2020, though said it actually happened in November 2019.
Days later, James took to Twitter and Instagram Story to address criticisms against Issa, saying past rumors about them "are just that, rumors."
Without explicitly confirming nor denying their relationship, James said he felt the need to speak up "now" because "this is the start of something beautiful,” which he said he won't let anyone take away from him.
“All you need to know from me," he said, "is that [I’m] the happiest I’ve ever been," he said.