SUPREME COVER: Who’s your daddy?

MANILA, Philippines - I can’t quit you,” says Ian Veneracion, 41, to his co-star Richard Yap, 49, making the shoot crew laugh. It wasn’t just the well-timed Brokeback Mountain reference that sent everyone giggling (the two men were in the middle of a looking-at-each-other’s-eyes-deeply layout). It was how everyone’s-favorite-DILF got the cowboy twang down pat. Ian is the playful yang to Richard’s serious yin; the showbiz veteran — with 35 years under his belt — trying to make his nervous newbie friend loosen up (Richard broke into the scene only in 2011). See, despite headlining one of the most successful daytime shows in recent memory (Be Careful With My Heart) and being part of blockbuster movies (Just The 3 Of Us, for example), Richard, the former division manager for an interior design firm, is still visibly uncomfortable in front of the camera. But more on that later.

Today’s Supreme shoot is happening at a familiar deserted hallway in ABS-CBN where we have shot many a cover, guerilla-style. The two men are dressed in matching clothes: black V-neck shirts and blue jeans that subtly reveal their non-Dad bod bodies. Yup, Ian and Richard could still give men half their age a run for their money — which is probably one of the reasons why they are headlining Star Cinema’s next blockbuster, Achy Breaky Hearts, which opens on June 29.

The film, directed by Antoinette Jadaone, is a “tribute to all the single people out there who just can’t find love,” according to Tonet’s co-writer Yoshke Dimen. It tells the story of Chinggay (played by Jodi Sta. Maria), a 34-year-old jewelry store manager who gets the dreaded kelan-ka-ba-mag-a-asawa question from literally everyone. Chinggay’s been single for seven years, and one day she finds herself getting close to her regular customer Ryan (played by Ian) — just as her ex, Frank (played by Richard), decides to re-appear.

“Her problem now shifts from a serious case of El Niño to La Niña! From not having any to having more than she bargained for,” says Yoshke. But is solitude really such a bad thing? The movie explores this as well as many of the sh*t singles have to put up with. In the meantime, here’s Richard and Ian being cute and candid about their bromance, finding success in their 40s, and why they think Filipinos just love ‘shipping people.

Hindi pa ba kayo nagsasawa sa rom-com? As an audience, as actors?

Richard: For me, I like doing it. I like rom-coms kasi I like making people happy. I like making people laugh. I don’t like watching people cry. I hate watching sad movies.

Kahit Titanic? Char.

Richard: Titanic was okay. Pero ‘yung mga drama na sampalan, ‘yung mga bwisit yung buhay nila…

Grabe siya!

Richard: It’s true! Because the people who watch things like that, they carry it [drama] onto their lives.

Ian: It gives you a heavy feeling after.

Richard: Yeah! They’re so negative with life also.

Ian: Ako naman I just came from Pangako Sa ‘Yo which was really heavy. There were kilig scenes and stuff pero it was heavy. So para sa akin, napakasarap na pang-break ng rom-com.

What was it like working with each other?

Richard: It was fun!

Uy plastik.

Richard: Ayoko na nga. Ayoko na nga. (Laughs) We had a lot of time to talk about similar interests.

Would you say you’re friends now?

Ian: Yes, definitely. It’s much lighter than I expected. Kasi nung nakikita ko siya sa TV, mukhang seryoso. Tapos pagdating sa set, tawa lang kami nang tawa. Lagi siyang nag-iisip ng punch line. For example, sa mga guestings namin, palaging tinatanong, “Sino bang magkakatuluyan talaga?” He’ll say, “Kami talaga ang magkakatuluyan.” Masaya sa set.

Richard: Ian is very easygoing. He’s very easy to get along with. He’s like the life of the party.

The two of you are outliers. In the sense na, you, Richard, you broke into the scene late in the game. You’re not in your 20s, you have kids, you’re married, but you became an in-demand leading man. And then you, Ian, same. You also outgrew the child star curse. They say child stars peak early and fade to black. But you’re still here. Did you expect this kind of popularity at 49, at 41?

Ian: Honestly, no. I was just minding my own business, doing my own thing. I grew up in showbiz — from child star to teenybopper movies, then action movies to father roles. Up to now, I feel like I’m still testing the waters. As long as I’m enjoying it, I’ll be doing movies and TV, pero if I realize na, “No, I want to do something else,” I’ll do something else. I’ve tried this life na eh, so trying another, I don’t mind.

Richard: They were looking for someone to play the father of Kim Chiu for My Binondo Girl. It was offered to me. “Would you like to be an actor?” The first thing I said to that person was, “Sigurado ka? At my age? Laos na.” They were serious about it, so I said, “Why not, sige.” I was thinking it was going to be a one-time thing. Never expected all of this to happen.

Have you gotten used to the artista life? Kasi kanina sa shoot…

Ian: Parang bumubulong ka sa akin ng, “ang hirap kumita ng pera.” (Laughs)

Richard: Hindi pa rin. It’s not something that I’m really comfortable with.

Ian: Ako I’m used to it. Because I’ve been in the movie and TV industry for 35 years now. I practically grew up here.

Richard: So in a sense I’m younger than him. (Laughs)

Ian: Yes you are. Yes, sir. I agree. (Laughs)

Richard, how did working with director Antoinette Jadaone help you deal with being uncomfortable?

Richard: She’s not a difficult director. She’s very collaborative. She talks to you and she asks you, “Are you comfortable doing this?” But she also tells you what she wants from the scene. And she goes on filming it until she gets what she wants. There are certain nuances or small details that she wants you to show.

Ian: She encourages us to do it our own way. And we can be as irreverent as we want to be. And then she’ll just take it from there and say, “Okay. Sige, i-maintain mo ‘yung part na ‘yun pero ito palitan natin ng ganito.” Sasabihin niya, “In this scene, gusto mo siyang mahalikan. Anong diskarte mo?” So ako, “mmm…”

Manyak pala!

(Laughs) Sasabihin niya, “Ops! Sobrang manyak ‘yan!” “Ops! Sobrang torpe ‘yan!” So titimplahin na lang niya for you.

Let’s talk about your leading lady Jodi Sta. Maria. What’s she like?

Richard: She’s very fun to be with, actually. Kalog yan eh. She looks for a lot of reasons to laugh. She’s a very fine actress. Alam mo naman lahat ng binibigay sa kanyang roles, she can pull it off.

Ian: She has a very pleasant vibe. Kahit puyatan na, she’s really optimistic about things, about people. And sarap lang makatrabaho. And as an actress, she’s very sincere. When you give her a scene, she doesn’t make daya. Ang dami niyang pwedeng hugutan na mga experiences, mga heartaches and all these things. She uses those, that’s why it translates to a sincere performance.

In this time of KathNiel, Jadine, LizQuen, merong JodIan, merong JoChard. Do you find it weird na at your age luma-love team kayo?

Richard: We’re just very thankful na people feel kilig kahit na alam nila na it’s only reel.

Ian: They’re used to this young, innocent love angle whereas with us, it’s more complex. We play mature characters that have been through a lot, but are still willing to gamble when it comes to love. Siguro they find it interesting.

Why do you think are Filipinos so into ‘shipping people?

Richard: I think we can relate more to being in a relationship rather than being alone.

That’s true. We’re very social by nature. Ayaw natin mag-isa.

Ian: Mahilig lang siguro tayo maghanap ng match whether as a love team or magkalaban. Like, Steph Curry and LeBron James. Or Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Richard: In the States hindi masyado ‘yung love team. Dito kailangan may love team ka for you to work eh. On your own, parang ang hirap. I think people are just so in love with love that they want to see people in a relationship.

What is your most favorite line in the movie? Something that touched you, made you laugh?

Richard: Ang love hindi para sa mga duwag at tamad. Ang love hinahanap. Pag nahanap, pinaglalaban.

Wait lang. Ang sakit naman.

Ian:  Parang lumabas 'yung mga bubog mo eh. (Laughs) Dapat bumusina kami!

Pero ang ganda nun. You?

Ian:  Panoorin mo na lang. Basta. (smiles) Ikaw, ano bang take mo on love?

Okay na po ‘yung interview. Thank you.

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Tweet the author @IrishDDizon.

Produced by DAVID MILAN