“The Significant Other” got so much publicity last year because of the reported tiff between Lovi and co-star Erich Gonzales after they got hurt shooting a violent slapping scene in the film. Is it true they’re still feuding?
“No, we’re okay,” says Lovi. “Textmates nga kami at ang tawag niya sa’kin is Lodi Poe, kasi idol daw niya ko. Ha ha ha! I admit I was shocked sa sobrang lakas ng sampal niya sa’kin, pero mas nasaktan siya kasi tumama yung kamay niya sa hikaw ko, nasugatan, nagdugo. We both got carried away. Tinalikuran namin ang isa’t isa, nagkaroon ng tensiyon sa set. But after a while, bumalik kami sa set and told Direk Joel Lamangan na ituloy na ang shooting. Nag-usap kami, said sorry to each other, at okay na uli ang lahat. I’m really happy to work with Erich kasi tagakabilang network siya and I really want to experience how to work with other stars naman.”
In the movie, which opens on February 21, she plays a top model who’s married to Tom Rodriguez, a successful cosmetic surgeon, but it's a secret marriage as it might ruin her popularity. Erich plays an aspiring model with a birthmark who seeks the help of Tom to remove it. In the process, Tom and Erich end up having an affair, much to the chagrin of Lovi. We heard she and Tom have sizzling bedscenes in the movie.
“That’s true!” she says. “Isa na ito sa pinaka-daring na pelikulang nagawa ko and I’m just thankful si Tom ang kapareha ko kasi I’m so comfortable working with him na after we did ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ on TV. Ang daming requirements ni Direk Joel Lamangan habang nasa kama kami at kahit hiyang-hiya ako, naitawid naman namin nang maayos.”
So she’s now used to doing sizzling bed scenes? “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it even if I’ve done it a million times. People always ask, how it doing a sexy love scene? But actually, it’s not a very sexy thing. We shot it in a small room and there are so many people around us na part ng crew, watching us. Ang dami mong iniintindi at nakaka-conscious talaga, so I’ll never get used to it. But I like my role here as a top model kasi kailangan, fashionable at glamorosa ako sa bawat eksena.”
How is her new soap doing, “TOTGA”? “We’re all happy kasi ang gaganda ng feedback and we’re doing really well. Nag-trending ang scene that Rhian Ramos, Max Collins and I joined forces to stop the wedding of Dennis Trillo as Liam kay Sophie Albert as Chanel. Riot ang eksena kasi we all came in black na para kaming namatayan.”
She’s really enjoying the company of her co-stars. “Ang ganda ng nabuong friendship namin nina Rhian at Max as the three women who are all competing for the attention of Dennis. We enjoy having coffee together, exchanging jokes and stories, wala kaming ginawa kundi magkuwentuhan at magtawanan kapag breaktime kaya nasasaway tuloy kami. Ha ha ha! I’m really having so much fun with them and I won’t be surprised if our friendship would continue kahit matapos na ang show namin.”
