JEFFREY HIDALGO plays his most daring role in “Sugar Baby” that starts streaming on November 24.
He plays Mr. Santos, the operator of a secret firm that offers the services of sexy Sugar Babies to DOM’s or Sugar Daddies.
He himself is a sugar daddy to Robb Guinto and they have a sizzling love scene together. So how is it?
“This is the boldest I’ve done so far,” he says.
“I’ve done love scenes before in ‘Beautiful Life’ and ‘Sabel’, but I was only shirtless, nothing as daring as this kasi, here, naka-plaster lang ako.”
So why did he accept it?
“I read the script and I liked it, and I also like my role. After playing a drug lord in ‘Ssshhh’ for Direk Roman Perez Jr, I really want to do more character roles and this one is quite challenging.
"I also want to help our director, Christian Paolo Lat. This is his first with Viva and I enjoyed working with him. He’s very young. Chill lang siya sa set. No stress at all.”
Since he is a director himself, doesn’t he meddle with the newbie filmmaker?
“No, I just trusted him. He knows what he is doing. It’s a different experience kasi nga bata siya.”
What about his next directorial job?
“I will start shooting a new movie next week in Cavite, ‘Salawahan’, with a script by Raquel Villavicencio.
'It will star Angeli Khang in a love triangle movie. She gets involved with two brothers, Albie Casino and Van Allen Ong.”
So does that mean he’s now putting his career as a singer on the back burner?
“No. I have a new song coming out on December 1, ‘Sana Masaya Ka’. It’s a Christmas song and a duet with Nicole Asencio, who co-wrote it. She’s the daughter of Iwi Laurel.
"Iba ang style niya, quite jazzy. Then sa New Year’s Eve, Geneva Cruz and I are doing the New Year 2024 Countdown show in Newport Resorts World.”
How is his sister, Arnee, who is also a singer?
“She’s now based in the U.S. She has two sons with her first husband, who’s Fil-Am, but they’re officially divorced and she’s having a second marriage with an American this coming April.
"She’s there with my mom, who now also has a new husband, also an American. She’s now known as Belinda Brown.”
When did his parents separate?
“Oh, matagal na. I was in my 30s. Tanggap na rin namin kasi we see them na laging may away. I am now staying with my dad and two younger brothers.”
What is his parents reaction to his directing sexy films like “Lampas Langit” and “Ligaw na Bulaklak”?
“With my dad, okay lang. But my mom, naiiskandalo siya. Masyado raw bold.
"E, we used to watch naman together yung tittilating films noong araw. Siguro, it’s only because I’m the one who directs them.
"All the more so kapag napanood niya itong ‘Sugar Baby’ na I’m the one doing the bedscene.”
Aside from Jeffrey and Robb, “Sugar Baby’ also stars Azi Acosta, Josef Elizalde, Mon Mendoza, Archie Adamos, Sheena Yu, Zsa Laxamana and Sahil Khan, streaming on November 24 on Vivamax.
