Lovi & Vhong: They click like this

This morning, you “woke up like this,” didn’t you? It’s not clear who coined that sentence which has become a byword among millennials but it’s not easy to see why a company like Regal Films would be inspired to produce a movie around it.

Directed by Joel Ferrer, Woke Up Like This (WULT) stars Lovi Poe as a ramp model and Vhong Navarro as a basketball player. How their characters “woke up like this,” she as a man trapped in a woman’s body and he vice-versa, is the “mystery” that the comedy unveils.

Set for showing nationwide starting on Wednesday, Aug. 23, WULT is the first straight-comedy role for Lovi who was first paired with Vhong in an episode of Shake, Rattle & Roll (SRR) XVI. Other members of the cast: Joey Marquez, Bayani Agbayani, Raikko Mateo, Yana Asistio, Dionne Monsanto and Cora Waddell (a Pinoy Big Brother [PBB] graduate).

What did Joel find attractive about the material?

“It’s a fresh take on the gender-bender genre,” said Joel (also an actor and writer whose previous works include Blue Bustamante and Hello World, both in 2013, and Baka Siguro Yata, 2015). “We don’t see a lot of films like that here, do we?” 

To find out if Lovi and Vhong “click like this,” Conversations made them take the “Who, What, Where, When, How” test.

Lovi

WHO?

Who do you consider as the biggest influence in your life?  “My father (FPJ).” 

Who would you have been if you were not an actress??

“I would have been a psychiatrist.”?

Who was the first person who broke your heart (without naming names)??

“A significant man in my life whose absence was surely felt.”

Who are the three people that you consider your best friends??

“I have a few close friends and I’m truly blessed because of that. It’s hard to name just three because I have more than three. Hahaha!!! I have kept my friends from when I was in grade school and made good new friends in the industry as well.”

Who do you run to when you have a problem (emotional or otherwise)??

“I run to my best friends, my sister and my cousins.” 

WHAT

What was the best thing that you have done to somebody?

“Be there for them at their worst and most trying times. Or love them even if they weren’t so lovable.”

What do you see (what comes to your mind) when you stand before a mirror??

“A woman who turned scars into art and eventually learned how to turn art into scars.”

What does money mean to you??

“Money is a reward we get when we set goals and hustle.”?

What was the biggest mistake that you have committed and regret it up to this day??

“Wasting my time and energy on things and people who didn’t do me any good.”?

What was the most painful thing that somebody did to you??

“Taking me for granted.”

WHERE?

Where are you most comfortable?

“My home. Nobody is in there to judge. That’s the place I feel most carefree in.”

Where do you go to unwind?

“I love going to the beach. A book in hand by the seashore is perfect for me. But definitely a new place to explore is something that I’d always want to do.”?

Where do you usually hang out in your free time??

“I usually just stay at home. I’m such a homebody now! Hahahaha!!!”?

Where do you stand in the chaotic, crowded world of showbiz??

“In an industry where one’s identity can easily be forgotten; your standards, your beliefs, your truth and your morals be jeopardized…I find myself still at the same place where I decided myself to be right from the very beginning. The most important thing for me amidst the chaos is to never lose myself.”?

Where would you eventually settle down (in the city, in the province or abroad)?

“At this very moment, I’m far from settling down. When is a question that’s pretty difficult to answer but I guess when that happens I want to have the perfect view from where I’m standing. I’m not just speaking in literal terms but when I say ‘perfect view’ I mean seeing all the things I really worked hard for.”?

WHEN

When did you realize that you are famous?

“I don’t see myself that way. I’m just someone in the industry who’s working hard and doing what she loves to do.”?

When are you in your best mood (morning, afternoon or night)??

“Any time of the day actually! It all depends on what I have accomplished. As simple as finishing a workout, having a sip of coffee, making my directors happy or people around me happy…that’s when my mood just zooms.”?

When was the last time you said “I love you” to somebody? 

“This morning.”

When is the right time to settle down??

“I don’t believe in having a timeline in terms of age. Although I believe in making yourself whole, making sure that you have achieved self-fulfillment before sharing your life with somebody.”

When do you think it is time to say, “Enough already”?

“When your inner peace is being knocked down. I’m a strong believer of self-respect so put your foot down when you know that you’re being given less than what you deserve.”?

HOW?

How well do you know yourself??

“Pretty well, but this beautiful journey is making me know myself even more as the day goes by.”?

How do you know that you are in love??

“When I take the extra mile for that person.”?

How do you deal with a broken heart (if ever)??

“I can be pretty cold. I just quit cold turkey.”

How would you describe a perfect day in your life??

“Train in the morning and heading straight to work right after. Doing a fantastic job at work. Finishing shooting/taping by dinner time (I wish, hahaha!!!), and going home to the people I love with some delicious food on the table! So simple but, yes, that’s perfect for me.”

How was it working with Vhong?

“Vhong is an amazing person. On and off screen, he is such a delight to be with. His positive energy is so contagious and I love working with people like that.” 

Vhong

WHO

Who do you consider as the biggest influence in your life?

“My family po.” 

Who would you have been if you were not an actor?

“Maybe a pilot.”

Who was the first person who broke your heart (without naming names)?

“Those that I have courted dahil lagi akong basted dati, hehehe!!!” 

Who are the three people that you consider your best friends? 

“Best friends? I have so many close friends so I won’t name only three baka magtampo ‘yung iba, hehehe!!!”

Who do you run to when you have a problem (emotional or otherwise)?

“My GF, mga close friends and direk Chito Roño, my manager.” 

WHAT?

What was the best thing that you have done to somebody?

“Helping people that I don’t even know but who are in need.”

What do you see (what comes to your mind) when you stand before a mirror?

“Baket ang cute mo? Hehehe!!! Joke lang po.” 

What does money mean to you?

“Hmmm...Money can be ‘sinful’ depending on who is holding it. Matindi ang tukso ng pera. I also believe that money that you don’t earn through hard work ay madaling mawala or maubos agad-agad.”

What was the biggest mistake that you have committed and regret it up to this day?

“A lot!!!”

What was the most painful thing that somebody did to you?

“If ever, huwag na dibdibin. Let life go on so you can make other people happy.”?

WHERE?

Where are you most comfortable?

“Sa house ko po.”

Where do you go to unwind?

“Sa house lang din po.”?

Where do you usually hang out in your free time?

“Going to the mall with my family.”

Where do you stand in the chaotic, crowded world of showbiz?

(No answer)

Where would you eventually settle down (in the city, in the province or abroad)?

“Siguro dito lang sa Manila.”

WHEN?

When did you realize that you are famous?

“When a relative had his picture taken with me at nagpa-pirma.”

When are you in your best mood (morning, afternoon or night)?

“Afternoon and night.” 

When was the last time you said “I love you” to somebody?

“Araw-araw at gabi-gabi po sa GF ko.”

When is the right time to settle down?

“Pag nakaipon at nakita mo na yung taong makakasama mo habang buhay.”

When do you think it is time to say, “Enough already”?

“Pag abusado na sila.” 

HOW?

How well do you know yourself?

“I know myself very well…that all I want to do is entertain people.”

How do you know that you are in love?

“If you are with the person and you feel that time passes by so quickly kahit ang tagal-tagal n’yo nang magkasama.”

How do you deal with a broken heart (if ever)?

“Idadaan ko po sa joke.”

How would you describe a perfect day in your life?

“When I wake up happy in the morning because I see that my family is also happy.”

How was it working with Lovi?

“Napaka-professional ni Lovi ka-trabaho kaya gusto ko pa siya ulit maka-trabaho.”?

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