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| the cast of ANG HENERASYONG SUMUKO SA LOVE at the presscon, with director jason paul laxamana |
TONY LABRUSCA gained fame for his daring role as a young man who has a sizzling affair with an older woman in “Glorious”. He now plays a more conventional role as an ambitious millennial who’ll do everything to succeed in life in Regal’s latest offering, “Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love”, written and directed by hitmaker Jason Paul Laxamana who just did the blockbuster “Just a Stranger”.
“I really had fun doing this movie,” he says. “I’m still new in showbiz and I want to thank Direk JP for fully explaining my role to me, which is totally opposite of my role in ‘Glorious’. I play Kurt, a young man who is so driven and very competitive to make it big.
"He compares himself to other people in social media and becomes so obssessed with material success that he forgets about his relationships, so he ends up being burnt out, with feelings of sadness and depression. It’s really very challenging.”
Dir. JP says “Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love” is a barkada movie as it’s also the story of Tony’s friends played by Jane Oineza, Jerome Ponce, Myrtle Sarrosa and Albie Casino.
“This is different from other youth oriented barkada movies na pa-cute at pabebe,” JP adds. “It celebrates friendship between the barkada members, but we seriously tackle the real problems like career challenges, identity issues and relationship troubles encountered by millennials today through the five characters in the movie by showing what happens to each of them after their graduation from college.”
So how did he cast the film? “We held a series of auditions. Sinala talaga namin kung sinong artista ang babagay sa role and not the usual na casting muna then gagawaan sila ng role na bagay sa kanila. Si Jerome ang natakot rito nang husto when he learned his character, Denzel, is an openly gay restaurant owner. He seeks potential partners through dating apps and casual hookups in bars and spas. He’s paired with other guys, like Anjo Damiles.”
“It’s true,” Jerome agrees. “Natakot ako. I did a gay role before in ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’ at nahirapan ako. Dito, full length yung role ko as Denzel at marami akong gay friends sa industry, so I was afraid baka di ko magawa nang maayos and I might not do justice to the role.
"But Dir. JP assured me that he’ll help me and excited din akong makatrabaho ang mga kasama ko rito, so I agreed to do it. Nag-research ako, interviewed my gay friends kasi gusto kong maging realistic ang portrayal ko and not exaggerated. I’ve seen my scenes at maganda naman lumabas yung mga eksena ko.”
“Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love” will open in theaters nationwide on Wednesday, October 2. Jerome is currently accused of being involved in a sex scandal in a video showing a man’s naked body but not his face.
“Wala akong natatandaang sex video na ginawa ko pero kung pinipilit nilang ako yun at kung malaki yung ano, di sige akuin ko na lang,” he says jokingly.