Marami ang nagulat kasama na ang BISTADO sa naging mga pahayag ng rock icon na si Rico Blanco sa mediacon sa imbitasyon ng Regal Entertainment last May 16 sa Eastwood Mall.
Hindi kasi inakala ng media invitees na kuwela, komikero at napaka-husay sumagot ng dating lead vocalist ng pamosong Rivermaya band na sumikat noong 90’s at naging isa nga sa pinakatanyag na rock band sa bansa.
“I myself could not believe this. Imagine at 53 years old, nagbibida ako sa movie? This must be surreal,” sey ni Rico habang tila nahihiya pa itong bumitaw ng kanyang mga punchlines sa kung paano siyang na-i-cast ng Regal sa latest movie offering nitong “Project Baby.”
Although may training at experience naman daw siya sa pag-arte dahil naging theater artist siya noong siya’y high school at college, “movie is still not my cup of tea.”
“Kaya ng sabihin po nilang kinukuha ako nina Mam Roselle (Monteverde at anak nitong si Atty. Keith) frot his Regal project, talaga pong nagtanong ako kung sure ba sila?,” sagot nito dahil saany lang daw siyang ‘umu-o’ sa mga movie offers na cameo o support role lang.
Until sabihin daw sa kanyang si direk Eric Quizon ang mismong nag-approve din sa kanyang casting opposite his leading lady, Sue Ramirez.
“FYI lang po, paano ko namang hihindian ang isang direk Eric? Anak ng acclaimed Comedy King ng bansa, himself an accomplished actor and great director. And for the record, my very first movie was with his brother Jeffrey, (Nasaan Na Si Francis? in 2006) who truly helped me a lot become comfortable with movie sets, and all,” kuwento ni Rico.
“I love doing comedy. Makulit din po talaga ako sa totoong buhay. Maharot if the term serves me right,” sa ganting tanong na nakilala siya ng kanyang audience bilang too stiff, suplado, hindi pala-kibo at mahirap abutin o arukin.
“Probably that goes with the image lalo’t iba nga po yung genre ng music namin. But just like doing a movie, I truly am interested dun sa mga intricate details, those things that made the whole process interesting, worthy of people’s attention, stuffs like that,” paliwanag pa nito.
Sa ‘Project Baby’ daw ay hindi niya inakalang makakasabay siya sa mahuhusay na kasama niya like si Alex Calleja na talagang ‘comedy’ ang brand at ginagawa, plus other co-stars like Charuth, Matt Lozano at iba pa.
“Of course I have but praises for Sue who is a wonderful leading lady, very supportive and a great actress. I could not do it if not for her generosity and support. Also direk Eric, who truly is an actor’s director,” na sinegundahan naman ni direk Eric kung gaano daw ka-kulit at mahilig magtanong ang rock icon.
Sey ng direktor, ” I told him to not overthink. Lagi kasi siyang nagtatanong bago at after kunan ng eksena. He is very involved. Luckily, nakikinig naman at nakukuha niya ang gusto ko at lumalabas nang tama.”
Sa naging generic na tanong kung sa haba na daw ng nilakbay ng kanyang karera bilang isang pamosong rock artist, producer, concert icon at musician ay may na-engkuwentro na itong gaya sa role niya sa Project Baby?
“Honestly,wala. None that I can recall and I’m sure of that. My supporters and fans are the kind of fans that knew certain boundaries about being involved with their idols or with co-workers. But I knew, I have some friends na mayroong ganyang experience. And I saw how devastating for a man to experience such thing na hindi na nila nakita at all yung anak nila dahil inilayo sa kanila ng ina dahil yung maanakan lang ang nais nila. In this time and age, i know may nag-eexist na ganyan. But it’s not for me. I grew up in a family that is so tied up with values of harmony and peace, love, respect,” paliwanag pa ni Rico.
Sa movie kasi, papel ni Rico ang inapproach ng role ni Sue na “i-fertilize siya at anakan,” pero walang string attached o commitment until something, somehow may na-feel silang “love” in the process.
Sa panulat ni direk Joey Reyes at direksyon ni Eric Quizon, ipapalabas sa mga sinehan ngayong June 11 ang “Project Baby” na pinagbibidahan din nina Arra San Agustin, Yasser Mata, Kimson Tan, Christian Ty, Drei Arias, Jonathan Perez, Jazzil Sarinas at ang napakaganda pa ring si Ms. Alice Dixon.