It’s a dream come true for him to have Christopher de Leon play his dad in the film. “Idol ko talaga siya. I really look up to him when it comes to good acting. He is THE leading man for me, THE actor, so star struck ako and I really want to thank him for being so very patient with me. I learned a lot from him just by watching him work.”
We ask Christopher himself how he’d rate Matteo as an actor? “Bow ako sa kanya, he’s very dedicated to his craft. There was a time he was sick with the flu, nanginginig talaga siya. Kung ako yun, I’ll tell the director, i-pack up mo na ako. E, may pagka-sadistic din si Direk Baby Nebrida, kahit may lagnat si Matteo, nag-shoot pa rin and he did all his scenes without any double. Hanga ako as he’s very passionate about his career.”
It’s not only Bro Boyet who praises Matteo but also Dina Bonnevie who plays his mother in law in the film. “He’s very observant sa set and such a gentleman. He even opens my car door for me. Unlike other young actors na mayabang, he’s sweet and humble.”Direk Baby Nebrida joins in the chorus of praises. “It took us three months to find the right actor for the role of the Muslim soldier who marries a Christian girl and becomes involved in the fight against drugs and human trafficking. When we finally got Matteo, I felt he was God sent because he’s the perfect Renaissance man who’s an athlete, into car racing and triathlon, a singer, a businessman with his own restaurant in Cebu and a versatile actor who’s good in drama, comedy and now, action. And he’s such a nice man who never complains and is pleasant to all his co-stars and co-workers.”
Matteo blushes from all the praises he’s hearing and thanks them all profusely. When asked if his GF Sarah Geronimo really got jealous because it turned out that the new actress who plays his wife in the film, Alex Godinez, used to be his girlfriend, he says “It’s not naman exactly selos. Nagtanong lang siya kasi may bed scene kami ni Alex sa movie.”
Alex, who started as a theatre actress when she was nine years old, admitted that they had something going on some ten years ago when they were both still very young and Matteo was still a car racer, not yet in showbiz. “But I went to the States and lived there for seven years,” she adds. “I never even thought then he’d go into acting. And now, magiging magkapareha pala kami. We remain good friends naman. Wala namang dapat magselos kasi trabaho lang yung ginawa namin.”