ALLEN Ansay and Sofia Pablo’s love team are being given a big push by GMA-7 in their first primetime series, “Luv Is: Caught in His Arms,” based on a well read Wattpad Webtoon series. It is also the network’s first salvo for 2023 to start airing this Monday, January 16, at 8:50 p.m., replacing “Mano Po: The Flower Sisters.”
Allen and Sofia’s love team, known as Team Jolly and also as Alfia, hit it big when they were first paired in “Prima Donnas.” Their subsequent pairings in “Raya Sirena” on “Regal Presents” and “Carol Parol” on “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko” also rated well so it’s not surprising GMA is now catapulting them to primetime stardom.
In the story, Sofia plays a poor girl, Florence, who applies for a college scholarship in Manila and gets accepted, but her father suddenly dies of heart attack.
She is instead forced to accept a job as a cook in the biggest mansion in their province, home of the Ferrells, who have five boys: Allen as Nero Ferrell, plus Sparkada boys Michael Sager, Vince Maristela, Raheel Bhyria and Sean Lucas, who are officially being introduced in the new series.
At first, he and Sofia don’t see each other eye to eye and they bicker all the time. Also being introduced in the show are the lovely Sparkada girls: Cheska Fausto, Caitlyn Stave, Tanya Ramos and Kirsten Gonzales.
Allen says he and Sofia are both very grateful to GMA for giving them this big break. “It means a lot to us na pinagtiwalaan nila kami ng ganito,” the 6-footer from Bicol says. “In return, we promise to do our very best kahit nahirapan ako sa role ko as I play a rich man.
Na-pressure ako to appear, act and move like a rich man in every scene.”
Sofia adds that viewers will find “Love Is: Caught in His Arms” very relatable. “It’s very family oriented,” she says. “It’s about the love between parents and children, also grandparents, and between siblings. Maraming lessons imparted about family relationships as the story unfolds.”
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After the film “Secrets” and the series “An/Na,” acclaimed writer-director Jose Javier Reyes now comes up with another full-length film about a summer that a young man will never forget, “Tag-init.”
Newcomer Clifford Pusing (best known for the Boys’ Love mini-series, “Sakristan”) gets the plum role of Martin, a 17-year-old boy who joins his older brother Chino (Ali Asistio) as they stay in a beach resort.
With them are Chino’s best friend, Paolo (Aerol Carmelo) and his girlfriend Nadine (Yen Durano). While Paolo and Chino are busy with the sexy and liberated Nadine, Martin wanders on his own and spots another beach house. He meets Adele (Franki Russell), a beautiful young woman with a sad story.
Adele is the kept woman of a politician’s son, Robbie (Marc Acueza), and she’s hoping, but helpless to break free. In that short period of time, they make a connection and Martin falls hopelessly in love with her. The experience will change his life forever.
We tell Direk Joey that his cast consists mostly of newcomers, how did he deal with them?
“Hindi na bago sa akin ito as I’m used to handling newcomers. I’m lucky that matatalino ang mga artista ko. Mahirap kapag ang katrabaho mo walang utak. I’m happy Franki and Yen are such smart young women who understand their roles as a kept woman and as a liberal young woman perfectly. When I’m doing this kind of movie na may sexy scenes, maingat ako, lalo na sa mga babae kasi kailangang alagaan mo ang pagkababae nila so they can maintain their dignity.”
How about the guys? “Si Clifford, I saw him in ‘Sakristan’ and I want an actor who’d be believable as a 17-year-old innocent young man. ‘Tag-init’ is about the passage of a young boy into becoming a young man with his experience with this lonely woman. The movie asks: ibinibigay mo ba ang iyong katawan dahil sa pagpaparaos lamang o dahil sa pagmamahal? Do you give love out of sex or out of love? Sa nangyari kay Clifford, he shows that he is more of a man than his brother and his friends because he gave love and care to this lonely young woman.”
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‘Ok lang kung kailangan talaga sa eksena – Arron Villaflor’
Arron Villaflor has been doing one project after another since he signed up with Viva Artists Agency last year. He did two 8-part mini-series, “Huwag Mong Agawin ang Akin” with Angeli Khang and “Secrets of a Nympho” with Rhen Escaño. Now, he is in a new movie with Christine Bermas, “Night Bird.” So what is his role?
“Barkada kami rito nina Sid Lucero and Felix Roco,” he says. “We befriend girls in bars, put drugs in their drinks, then we take them to Mark Anthony Fernandez’ house where we do anything and everything we want with them.”
Things go south when one of the girls they get to drug and rape is Rachel, played by Christine Bermas. Rachel is with her two other friends, Chloe Jenna and Alexa Ocampo, both also brutally violated. When Christine regains consciousness, she then plans to take revenge on their rapists.
In all his Vivamax projects, Arron willingly disrobes in front of the camera showing his entire backside. Would he later be willing to do frontal nudity?
“Ok lang kung kailangan talaga sa eksena. As more veteran actors say, let’s do it. But I’m praying na sana huwag muna, kasi wala na akong ipapakita, wala ng excitement. So I’m praying wag muna ako mapunta sa ganoong sitwasyon kasi I can do other things naman na ikakatuwa pa rin ng tao, like act in more demanding roles.”
