Then there’s “The Mega and the Songwriter” with Sharon Cuneta that starts airing this Sunday at 9 PM. Next month, his first drama series, “The Gifted”, will also start. He plays a hit singer-songwriter whose girlfriend, a single mom with an only son, dies in a multiple smash up. The son is left behind under his care and the boy turns out to be gifted with a third eye that makes him see the ghosts of all the people who died in the cars that crashed along with his mom.
“The boy is a newcomer, Joshen Bernardo, and he’s very good,” says Ogie. “Excited ako rito kasi ang magiging link with the dead souls is a song I’ve written. It’s the last song they heard kasi before the car accident happened at na-LSS (last song syndrome) sila rito just before they died.”
How is it working with the younger co-stars who are with him for the first time in “Tropa Mo Ko Unli”? “Magagaling sila, lalo na sina Alwyn Uytingco, Valeen Montenegro and Empoy. They’re funny guys with their own comic style. Ang maganda, very humble sila at hindi maangas kaya naging seamless nga ang transition for me from my former show to ‘Tropa Mo Ko’.”
Also appearing in the show are Tuesday Vargas, Long Mejia, Jasmine Curtis Smith, Eula Caballero and the Artista Academy discoveries.
Doesn’t he miss his “Bubble Gang” co-stars? “I do. Binibisita ko nga sila when they have a taping kasi hindi na sila iba sa akin.”
How about working with Sharon Cuneta? “Masaya siyang kasama. Nakasama ko na rin siya noon sa tour at masarap kachikahan kasi you can go mababaw and you can go deep with her. I’ve always liked her as a singer. Kasi she has her own style. Pag kumakanta na siya, alam mo agad na siya yun. I think, among local singers, she has the most number of hits as she has worked with the best composers like the late George Canseco, then Rey Valera, Willy Cruz and Ryan Cayabyab. This is going to be a fun show for viewers on a Sunday night kasi matagal nang walang ganitong show on TV where they can just sit back and relax while watching us and listening to us and our guest singers provide great music for them. We’ll also feature new singers we’ll discover on youtube. Our musical director is Mon Faustino, who’ll do all new areglo for all the songs we’ll be singing in the show, with Bert de Leon as overall director.”
With him so busy, does he still have time for his family? “I always try to find for them. Si Nate, dahil sa exposure sa social media, mas sikat pa sa’min ngayon ni Regine. When people see us in public, they say, si Nate, pakuha tayo ng picture. My two daughters in Sydney are growing up very fast. Dadalawin ko nga sila uli next month. Lila is now 16 and Sarah just turned 11. The last time I was there was noong birthday ni Sarah and Lila has a special guest, a 17-year old Australian blonde boy named Marsh. I felt weird. May boyfriend na ba ang anak ko? But my daughter assured me he’s just a friend, not her boyfriend kaya nakahinga ko ng maluwag doon.”
