MCCOY DE LEON stars with partner Elisse Joson in the Vivamax movie “Habangbuhay” and he’s asked in its presscon if their relationship is really for life like their film’s title.
“Oh yes! Panghabangbuhay na talaga ito,” he says.
“Kasi sa ngayon, I can say, sobrang kontento ako sa buhay ko. I thank God kasi meron akong masayang pamilya, okay ang trabaho ko, so I’m sobrang happy talaga. I cannot complain.”
He is very pleased with Elisse.
“She wants only the best for our family. As a mother, priority niya ang anak namin, si Baby Felize. Gusto niya, lahat kami, mabigyan niya ng time at ng kasiyahan. She’s really a perfect mom and partner so I’m thankful kay Lord sa lahat ng blessings Niya.”
Their relationship is very smooth and people keep asking them as to when will they face the altar.
“Yes, lahat, yan ang laging tinatanong sa amin, mga kamag-anak man namin o hindi. As of now, we’re still exploring each other at ang bawat side namin.
"Marami pa kaming natutuklasan about each other. So we will know na lang sa sarili namin kung kailan yung right time for a wedding.”
He believes they should prepare well before making it all official.
“Naniniwala rin akong kailangan namin ng basbas ng simbahan, pero ayaw naman naming biglain o madaliin. Kailangan pa rin naming mag-ipon. We have to really prepare for it. Marami pa kaming challenges na pagdaraanan, but we know we’re in this together.”
So how is it doing a movie again opposite each other?
“Exciting kasi matagal din kaming hindi nagka-work together. Pero mahirap din kasi we have to leave our baby at home habang nasa shooting kami.
"We are very comfortable sa set but it’s awkward when we’re asked to do romantic scenes. Sa acting, it helps that we’re now more mature kasi mas marami na kaming learnings sa buhay.”
Together, they studied their roles well.
“Yes, inaral naming mabuti ang characters namin and we gave it our best. Grabe ang fulfillment namin in doing this movie kasi mahirap yung roles namin.
"She plays a girl na walang immunity kaya bawal lumabas dahil baka makakuha lang siya ng germs. Ako yung ampon nilang houseboy na sobrang insecure, pero naging close kami sa isa’t isa, pero maraming hadlang sa pagmamahalan namin.”
Being real life partners helped them in interpreting their roles better.
“Iba yung journey ng characters namin dito and it’s easier for us to do them kasi napag-uusapan naming mabuti kung paano namin gagawin ang bawat eksena.
"Mas may rapport na kami ngayon kaysa when we did the movie na ‘Sakaling Maging Tayo’ na away-bati kami. We’re a couple in real life now, but sa movie, hindi e.
"So yun ang naging challenge for us, how to make the audience see yung rawness ng friendship namin sa story na it’s like we’re starting over.”
Just like other couples, he admits they’re not perfect.
“May conflicts pa rin, but we manage to resolve them with God’s help and, with the help of compromise, we learn from our mistakes.
"Basta ang commitment ko now is to always be present in the lives of my family, through ups and downs, kapag may problema, we’ll always just try to work on it.”
“Habangbuhay” is directed by Real Florido and will start streaming on Viva this Friday, April 22.
