He says it’s nice to work again with Jennylyn Mercado. “Marami na kaming shows together, mula pa noong mga bata pa kami like ‘Super Twins’ and ‘I Love New York’. I’m so happy sa magandang takbo ng career niya ngayon, pati sa movies.”
How is newcomer Gil Cuerva as Matteo? “He’s okay, willing to learn, a work in progress. He asks a lot of questions at kaming co-stars niya ang nagsisilbing mentors niya sa set kasi he has no previous acting experience at all as he came from modelling.”
Aside from “My Love from the Star”, he’s in the cast of a new movie, “Citizen Jake”, the comeback flick of acclaimed director Mike de Leon. “I feel so blessed to be part of this great project. When they asked kung puede akong mag-reading, I got excited, sabi ko, sige, payag ako, masali lang, kahit anong role. So nag-read ako and I didn’t expect anything, but the next day, I got a call telling me I got the part. I was so happy, I even felt surreal kasi I’d be working with the same team na nakasama ng dad ko (the late Mark Gil) in doing ‘Batch 81’. Tapos, ang mga kasama ko are my aunt (Cherie Gil), Dina Bonnevie as our mom ni Atom Araullo, Victor Neri, Nonie Buencamino, puro magagaling. Masyadong meticulous pala talaga si Direk Mike. Kung minsan, we shoot just one sequence a day.”
The name of his dad’s character in “Batch 81” is Sid Lucero, which was the screen name chosen by his brother Timothy. “Nanghinayang nga si Tim na hindi siya kasali sa movie. He was only a year old when the movie was released in 1982. Ako naman, 3 years old na.”
His other half-sibling, Andi Eigenmann, became controversial recently because of her tiff with Jake Ejercito, the dad of her love child, Ellie. Did he give her any advice about the situation?
“Yes, as her Kuya, I tried to advise her, but you can only do so much kasi she’s also an adult, malaki na siya, and she has a mind of her own. Friend ko rin naman si Jake at labas yung friendship namin sa problema nila ni Andi. Well, I’m just happy tumigil na siya sa postings niya sa social media dahil hindi naman nakakatulong yon para maayos ang problema nila. Positive na lang sana lagi, di ba?”
In “My Love from the Star”, he plays Jackson Libredo, the older brother of Christian Bautista as Winston Libredo. He is the scheming CEO of their company who wants to take possession of all their family’s wealth. The show starts airing on Monday, May 29, after “Mulawin vs. Ravena”.
