Ali King of 'Boys Lockdown' identifies with role's struggles

Today we feature Ali King, the other lead actor of the upcoming BL series "Boys’ Lockdown."

Before pursuing an acting career, Alonzo Raphael Elequin, who goes by the stage name Ali King, worked for one of the country’s biggest advertising and public relations agencies. A creative at heart, he has cultivated a following on his social media platforms which he fills with enthralling stories and his obsession with iced coffee, "Mean Girls," and his latest skin care regimen.

He says professional acting is a tremendous challenge but remains undeterred as his passion for the craft will help him overcome difficulties.

“I've always wanted to take a shot at acting and to experience what it feels like to wear someone's skin. I'm grateful that this opportunity came knocking on my door when TIcket2Me invited me to audition,” said Ali on why he accepted the role of Key Kalunsod in "Boys' Lockdown."

Key is an introvert who is sensitive, sentimental, and deeply caring towards family and friends.

“I felt so grateful that the creative team saw something in me that they think could effectively portray Key,” he added.

Ali loves his role because he identified with his struggles.

“Relating to him means that I can portray him better as we share quirks and similarities. This is my biggest break and I'm thankful to be part of the team who loves the craft and this project.”

Before "Boys' Lockdown," Ali was immersed in TikTok and vlogging, which he does until now. This is his first acting gig and is deeply appreciative of the understanding the team gave him and his co-star Alec Kevin.

“The team was patient with me when it came to perfecting each scene given my limited acting cues,” he said.

“Everything was new to me, from the acting and improvisation workshops, recognizing all things in the film industry, and being another person once the director yells action.”

Describing his experience working with Alec, Ali shared, “I was a bit intimidated with Alec due to our differences, but once we bonded and worked together, our rapport became stronger and we realized how we complement one other. We help each other's personality by lifting each other up. It's also good that we're getting more comfortable in live interviews because we know how to support the other especially with the difficult and uncomfortable questions.”

Produced by Ticket2Me, Southeast Asia’s first blockchain-enabled ticketing platform, "Boys’ Lockdown" will be released next month.