‘I really trained hard for the action scenes but it took four years to make this movie — Matteo Guidicelli’
MATTEO Guidicelli says playing “Penduko,” Viva’s entry in the coming Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), is his most challenging role to date. “It’s a very big responsibility to play an iconic role that started as a komiks hero and has been done on screen several time.”
We tell him that of all the actors who played Pedro Penduko before, he is the most buff and physically fit. He’s really fated to do the role as it was first offered to James Reid who has chosen to stop acting.
“I’m glad the movie fell on my lap,” he says. “I really trained hard for the action scenes but it took four years to make this movie as we started it before the pandemic pa and it has to be put on hold. I also watched the previous versions and ours is completely different. Now, we’re all glad that it’s finally complete and perfect viewing for the holiday season.”
He can’t wait for his wife Sarah Geronimo to see his movie. “I told her that on Christmas Day, manonood kami lahat with my family. I’m so proud of our movie as we really worked hard to make it very entertaining, specially our director Jason Paul Laxamana who has a good vision and is really hands on in every aspect of the movie.”
***
Pokwang celebrates her 2Oth anniversary in showbiz this 2O24. “2OO4 kasi when I joined the search for new comedians in Clown in a Million at doon ko unang na-meet si Eugene Domingo or Uge for short,” she says. “Napakabait niya. Hindi niya alam na fan na niya ako noon pa man sa TV shows na ginagawa niya. Nang magkasama na kami, very accommodating siya. Nakikisakay pa ako sa kotse niya pag-uwi from our taping.”
They now share topbilling in the MMFF entry, “Becky and Badette,” where Eugene plays Becky and Pokwang is Badette, friends for life who people eventually thought are lesbian lovers. At the time she was having problems in her relationship with Lee O’Brian, Uge lent her a shoulder to cry on. “Bago ko pa siya pinalayas sa bahay ko, we’ve already been distant to each other kasi I felt wala na ‘yung respeto ko sa kanya. Ni hindi na kami nag-uusap. It’s as if we don’t exist to each other. Nagkakasalubong kami sa loob ng bahay, ni hindi kami nagkikibuan. Parang wala lang.”
The last straw was when she inquired from him about their business which he put up with the money coming from her as capital. “Feeling ko, it’s my right na magpa-update how our business is doing, kasi one year nang wala akong naririnig. Minasama niya agad ‘yun. Tapos, after that, mismong daughter namin ang nagsabi sa’king may kasama siyang ibang girl habang out of town ako. Dun ko na-realize na wala na talaga. Dati, umaasa pa akong magkakaayos pa kami. But after that, I kicked him out na.”
***
Fabio Ide says he is sleep deprived these days. His partner, a blonde Swedish girl named Ellen Frojd with green eyes who works as a CEO here for an international company, has given birth to twin girls named Maya and Luna.
“They were born premature but they’re both okay,” he says. “They have yayas during the day but at night, hands on kami ng partner ko in taking care of them so we sleep only about two or three hours each night. Kasi kapag umiyak ‘yung isa, the other one also cries at gising na kami lahat.”
Fabio came to Manila 14 years ago when he was 21 years old with two other Brazilians who joined showbiz: Akihiro Sato and Daniel Matsunaga. He’s the only who remains active.
He has now just completed a new erotic drama, “Higop,” where he plays the pivotal role of Mond.
“This is my most challenging role so far as I play a bad guy,” he says. “I own a milk tea shop that at night, I turn into a girl where I act as pimp for the girls who are working me. This is also my sexiest role as I have love scenes with all the girls, including Angelica Hart who plays the lead role, and also Zsara Laxamana, Aila Cruz, Jonica Lazo, Joanna David and Princess Xian. There’s a very daring scene na pinagsabay-sabay ko sila. Don’t miss ‘Higop’ when it starts streaming on Friday, December 15, directed by Topel Lee.”
Fabio also has a daughter with Denise Oca, the daughter of actress Melissa Mendez. “Yes, she’s Dannie, now nine years old. She enjoys being the Ate to her twin sisters. She usually spends the weekends with us kasi weekday, she’s with her mom para malapit sa school niya.”
