Luis Manzano: Gay role came as shocker

Luis Manzano: Gay role came as shocker 


MANILA, Philippines Luis Manzano originally turned down the role of a gay lover to John Lloyd Cruz’s character in the film In My Life, because it required him to have intimate scenes with another man, the actor confessed.
The offer to do a gay role came as a shocker. I know there has to be some intimacy between John Lloyd and me, and I didn’t want to do it, Luis said during a media gathering at the ABS-CBN offices in Quezon City last week. After reading the script, however, I understood my character

Luis plays Mark, an advertising executive based in New York City. John Lloyd is Noel, Mark’s lover. Luis’ real-life mom, award-winning actress Vilma Santos, also plays his mother Shirley in the film. She visits him in New York and is shocked to discover that he has colon cancer. Olivia Lamasan directs.
When I pitched the story to Luis, I was really confident that he would accept it. It’s an opportunity for him to work with his mother and to get featured in a dramatic film. I got the shock of my life when he immediately said ‘no’, said Lamasan.I told him to read the script first. I felt happy that in the next meeting he said yes.

Vilma pointed out that she did nothing to convince her son to change his mind. I just want to tell everyone that I was never part of Star Cinema’s negotiations with Lucky (Luis’ nickname). From the start, I already told our bosses that they can’t expect me to call Lucky to convince him to do it, because I won’t,said Vilma, also the governor of Batangas province.

John Lloyd explained the need for an intimate scene with Luis. The scene gives the viewers an idea of how much Noel and Mark really love each other, he said. We prepared for it. We waited for the right time and made sure the setting was perfect before shooting it.

No kissing
Luis added: In the film, you won’t see John Lloyd and me kissing but you will see Noel and Mark sharing a very beautiful moment.

John Lloyd, who made box-office records with his movie A Very Special Love and its sequel You Changed My Life with Sarah Geronimo, said he is thrilled to be part In My Life.
If I would describe [what’s it like] working with Ate Vi and Inang (director Olive), I would compare it to going sky diving for the first time, said John Lloyd. Once you’re in the plane, you really have no choice but to jump. If you chicken out, sasama ang loob mo and you will regret not doing it for the rest of your life. I took the challenge, no matter how scared I was...

John Lloyd also confessed to being in awe of Vilma. I just sit in one corner and watch her do her stuff. She’s amazing. I realized that Ate Vi is more interesting when the camera is not rolling. That’s when you’d get to see a lot of good things about her. You’d see how well she takes care of her coworkers on the set, how she treats all of us as her equal, and how she feeds us with sumptuous tulingan until we’re all fat, he said.
In My Life, written by Raymond Lee and Senedy Que, premieres in local theaters on September 16.


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