Biboy Ramirez: The ‘Lola’s Boy’ grows up

"Nung sinabi ko kay Lola na hindi talaga babae si Goldilocks, aba, e, umiyak!" That line from the Goldilocks commercial introduced us to one of the most promising faces in showbiz: Biboy Ramirez.

Biboy, whose real name is Brian Michael Ramirez Dolatre, played Christian on GMA-7’s youth-oriented series Click. Now that there is a new barkada on Click, Biboy has turned to more grown-up roles. On GMA’s new afternoon soap Kahit Kailan, he plays Luis Sanpiandante, the favorite apo of the Sanpiandante matriarch, played by Gina Pareño and her husband, played by Charlie Davao. It is a more challenging role for the baby-faced actor, who–like his contemporaries–isn’t getting any younger. Lola’s boy has definitely grown up.

As part of his effort to acquire a more "mature" look, Biboy has even started going to the gym. "On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I go to Celebrity Sports Plaza; on Tuesdays and Thursdays, nasa Valle Verde Country Club ako," says Biboy.

This doesn’t mean that Biboy and his manager, Joey Diego, will refuse the youth-oriented roles that come Biboy’s way. After all, it was youth-oriented roles on TV and in commercials that first made him popular. Biboy does not want to seem ungrateful for the breaks he has been given. "Basta naman bagay ang role, okey lang," says Biboy, whose TV credits also include Esperanza, Best Frends, Okatokat (his first TV appearance ever), SOP, Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga and Bubble Gang. But Biboy isn’t good only for the small screen, he has also had several memorable movie roles, such as when he played the best friend of Marvin Agustin in Labs Kita, Okay Ka Lang.

Biboy is most excited about his role in Kahit Kailan, which is more grown-up than anything he has played before. It is a mature role because the character has more complex emotions and is thus more difficult to portray. But Biboy–who has already worked with Kahit Kailan director Ruel Bayani in Calvento Files and the horror series Tago Ka Na–feels confident he will measure up to the challenge. That is, with help from his director and other co-stars like Allan Paule and Rita Avila (who play his father and mother in Kahit Kailan), Maritoni Fernandez, James Blanco and Roxanne Barcelo. Roxanne, incidentally, plays Biboy’s love interest in the series. The two were once co-stars on Click.

Kahit Kailan is inspired by the South Border hit of the same title, which the band will be singing with Kyla for the series. Kahit Kailan premiered last Sunday, May 5, at 2:30 p.m. replacing Anna Karenina.

"My character is only a simple guy, but the story is exciting–kaya abangan nila, dahil maraming mangyayari," says Biboy. Aside from his new soap opera, viewers can also catch Biboy every Sunday on SOP where he gets to try singing and dancing and on the gag show Bubble Gang, where he flexes his comic muscle. "Magandang training po ‘yon, kasi magkaiba yung show, isang musical-variety, at isang gag show, kaya pareho akong nahahasa," says Biboy.

But as successful as his showbiz career is, Biboy knows it will not last forever. So at the same time, he is trying to finish his studies.

Biboy is a Business Administration student at Miriam College in Quezon City. He says that no matter what happens, he will complete his studies.

He might even put what he learned into practice (and make good use of his earnings from showbiz at the same time) by setting up his own business someday. He isn’t certain yet what it is going to be, but he is sure that he doesn’t want what he learned to go to waste.

"Gusto ko po talaga makatapos ng pag-aaral," he says with determination, bringing to mind other young actors and actresses who unfortunately did not place as high a premium on their education as Biboy has. If his lola could hear him (his fictional one, that is), she would doubtless be very proud and not care whether Goldilocks was a real girl or not.

Speaking of girls, what about his love life? Oh, that can wait, says Biboy who confesses to having a crush on Kyla ("Ang ganda po kasi ng boses niya!" he says with a grin). He is not in a rush to fall in love, believing that if someone is really meant for him, the two of them will end up together no matter what.