Far from fading into obscurity, Sunshine used her "free" status to relaunch her acting career. She took on mature, nuanced roles in digital series and primetime dramas. Shows like The Better Woman and her guest appearances on FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano showed a grittier, more vulnerable actress.

The most remarkable aspect of their free lifestyle is their evolved co-parenting relationship. In 2024 interviews, both state they are now “friends.” They have attended their daughters’ birthdays and school events together without tabloid drama. This freedom—to be civil, even affectionate—stemmed from letting go of resentment. Cruz has publicly thanked Manalo for being present for their daughters post-rehab, while Manalo has praised Cruz for not alienating the children from him.

Many social media clips, particularly on TikTok , repurpose intimate scenes from their past movies, labeling them as "scandals" for clickbait purposes.

An action film where they starred alongside Cesar Montano .

In the modern era, "Sunshine Cruz and Jay Manalo Scandal -FREE-" is a common tactic used by malicious websites to lure users into clicking links that may lead to malware or unrelated adult content. Where Are They Now?