Being single & fancy-free

Talk about as big “first.”

The Philippine STAR and Cinema One are producing a teleserye that premieres on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m., with replays on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 10 p.m.

Directed by Pepe Diokno, editor-in-chief of this paper’s Supreme section, SingleSingle is an original cable-TV series that merges “engaging comedy and relevant issues for urban singles living in a complicated, modern world.” It teams up Matteo Guidicelli and Shaina Magdayao for the first time. The series focuses on issues ranging from quarter-life crises to relationship dilemmas in a digital world and aims to underscore the importance of handling finances, career-path planning, and having a work-life balance for the urban millennial.

Matteo plays Joey and Shaina plays Joee, two single strangers forced to share an apartment for practical reasons. The question is: “When strangers have no choice but to share the rent, will it be a disaster or a happy ever after?”

Each week after the airing of an episode, an in-depth discussion about wealth management will be provided in The STAR’s Business Lifestyle section by wealth management expert and inspirational speaker, Francis Kong.

Also in the cast are Cherie Gil who plays Matteo’s single mom in an off-beat parent role; award-winning Cinema One Originals actress Anna Luna as Shaina’s career-driven buddy; and theater actor Brian Sy as Shaina’s gay friend, with indie favorites Mara Lopez and Matt Daclan in guest roles.

Palanca winner Lilit Reyes is the writer and Bianca Balbuena is the producer (also of the highest-grossing indie That Thing Called Tadhana).

By the way, in real life, Matteo is happily going steady with Sarah Geronimo while Shaina claims to be fancy-free.

When you look back at your single days, what fond memories do you have about it? Expecting somebody to come along or be found?

Matteo: Paano ba? (Chuckles) How do we start? Kasi I always had somebody, eh. I guess my single days would be my early high-school days. It was cool because my concentration and my priority were on other things. I guess the more you look for somebody, the more she won’t come to you. When you least expect it, that’s when that person’s gonna be there.

You and Sarah are now open about your relationship, complete with PDA (Public Display of Affection). How much challenge was it to win the heart of a girl who has protective parents? Do you think you’ve completely won the trust of Sarah’s parents?

“I guess, if you call it ‘PDA’, we’re just trying to be normal. As much as possible, Sarah and I are trying to be normal people doing normal boyfriend-girlfriend thing. And we love each other, we just want to take care of each other, and the most important thing is we both trust each other and we’re both happy with our relationship. We cannot please everybody but it’s all work in process and we try to make everybody around us very happy. So yeah, it’s a work in progress.”

Describe your role in SingleSingle. How are you similar to or different from your character?

“There are two Joeys, Matteo-Joey and Shaina-Joee. Matteo Joey is with an ‘ey’, while Shaina’s character has an ‘ee’. Joey with an ‘ey’ is very liberated. He’s a musician, he loves living life to the fullest, he’s that YOLO kind of guy, that you-only-live-once dude. He’s a free spirit, he writes love songs, and he doesn’t think twice about life. If he wants to do something, he’ll do it. He does crazy things. He has an open mind.

“There are similarities with Matteo and Joey, and there are also totally different stuff between Matteo and Joey. And what I like about Joey is that he has no hesitations, no regrets. Kahit he does something crazy, he’ll do it and then later learn from it. He’s a very free-spirited person and that’s what I love about him and that’s what I enjoy about portraying Joey because he’s very free and very liberating.”

So what do you and Sarah have in common and how are you unlike each other?

“We’re very unlike in many things but we also have a lot in common. There’s a lot, there’s a lot. Every day, we discover new things we’re alike and not alike.”

Do you believe in forever?

“Definitely. But we never know until it happens. It’s very, very difficult but I guess if you have faith, if you believe, if you trust, you’re honest with somebody, and if you believe in forever, forever will happen. But if you don’t believe in forever, the more it’s not gonna happen. So you gotta believe in what you want.” 

So how was it working with Shaina?

“Great. When they offered me the project, I said yes right away because I know Shaina to be an experienced actress and she’s been in the industry for a long time. I like to work with people like her because I’m also like that. I want to learn from them, to work with them and just, you know, share emotions with them on screen. At first, I didn’t know Shaina and I would connect. I didn’t know how our chemistry was going to be, we just did what we were supposed to do, played the roles and became Joey and Joee, and from the point of view of our director, our writer, and everybody else. They said it’s going smoothly. Everything’s going well.”

What are some of the scenes that you find interesting or memorable?

“A lot of scenes are very interesting. Every episode just gets better and better. How direk Lilit writes and how direk Pepe executes is very nice. You won’t expect it. It’s very fresh in Philippine TV. It’s not your ordinary shots. It’s all hand-held shots, the texture of the whole teleserye is different. It’s just refreshing. And I’m very excited for the audience to see it.”

So what lessons do you think people, especially the young, can learn from the series?

“A lot. First of all, it’s about two opposites being under one roof, being in one little room. And there’s just so many lessons you can learn from them. Two opposites arguing, agreeing, all these crazy things happening. There are little lessons you can pick up there. You can also learn lessons from my character, a kid who lived with his parents the whole time, and wants to live independently so how will he do that? How will he manage his finances, how will he start from scratch, how will he survive in the music industry, how will he do all these things? And there, you have to see how he’s going to deal with all these adventures. His mom just lets him be, cuts his phone bills, cuts everything, and he’s in shock; what will he do? So that’s what guys will learn. It’s very relatable to people who just graduated from college and looking for a job. It’s very relatable to the young ones.”

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What are the pluses of being single?

Shaina: I get to spend more time with my friends, more time for myself and my personal development. I can go on and on because I’m at a point in my life na I’m really enjoying the perks of being a single lady.

How are you similar to or different from your character?

“Joee is, I can say, a bit naughty. A lot can really relate to her; very ‘this generation’ siya in a way. Old souls can also relate to her because may prinsipyo siya, eh; may pinang-gagalingan siya. ‘Yun ang kailangan subaybayan ng mga manonood kung bakit siya may mga house rules, bakit siya may rules sa life, sa love, in everything. How come she’s that guarded at that point of her life? They will find out when they get to watch SingleSingle.”

“Maraming pinang-gagalingan si Joee, the same way na marami rin akong pinang-gagalingan. Maraming hugot sa show na ‘to and I’m very, very sure marami ang makaka-relate. Doon siguro kami nagkakaparehas ni Joee, pareho kaming very experienced when it comes to life and love, in particular. And that’s why, siguro, kaya pareho kaming maraming natutunan. And I think we all need that in order to grow a better person, a better lover when the right one comes.”

How do you think you will know when you’re compatible with him? Are you the type who loves more than the other way around?

“I’m done with the ideals. When I was younger, gusto ko ganito, gusto ko ganyan, sine-set ko ‘yung mind ko na ganito-ganyan. But you know, at the end of the day, after so many heartbreaks and after all those experiences, you realize that no one really is perfect. Hindi rin totoo ‘yung ideals, it’s all about your tolerance. It doesn’t mean that he’s a bad person, it’s just that you can or cannot tolerate that person’s weaknesses. So how will I know? I know and I believe that I will just know when I find or when I meet that person, that right one.”

You look up to your Ate Vina (Morales). What reminders does she give you as far as guys are concerned?

(Laughs) “I’m very fortunate I have three sisters; I’m the bunso. Siguro sinuwerte lang ako because they all went through the typical heartbreaks and relationships. So ako, sinuwerte ako kasi before my eyes na-witness ko ‘yung mga heartbreaks nila, mga disappointments and heartbreaks nila in life. Siguro, in the process I learned a lot. Oo iba pa rin ‘yung experience ko, but then it really helped me a lot, in general. Especially ‘yang love na ‘yan. When it comes to my sisters, kasi siempre puro babae, eh, so marami akong natutunan kay Ate Vina.

“Natutunan ko rin sa kanya ngayon, now that she is single, I call my sisters women of strength and grace because they’re my role models when it comes to being a good mom/ate to me. You all know that our parents are separated, so our panganay became our mommy na rin. Darating ka sa point that you are okay, you are comfortable. You’re not going to need another person to complete you, to make you whole.”

Do you believe in forever?

“Oo naman. May forever, in love and in general. Di rin naman ibig sabihin na love will only come from one person. It’s so nice to fall in love. With everything and everyone that you encounter in life, your friends, the good people around you, how can you not fall in love with them? Ako, this work that I have right now, it’s igniting my passion, so again I’m falling in love with this industry, with this world, this type of work. So ang broad ng forever at ng love for me.”

How was it working with Matteo?

“Malaki sigurong tulong that he’s a Cebuano like me. Mas nauna pa nga niyang nakilala ‘yung dad ko and my sister because, I just found out, si Matteo pala nagpe-perform with my sister before sa mga shows abroad; gine-guest siya ni Ate.

“And then when I got to work with him, I found him to be a decent man, may breeding. He comes from a good family. At this point in my career, I’m very fortunate that I get to work with decent leading men. ‘Yung tipong re-respetuhin ka, won’t take advantage of you, someone who I see myself being friends with for a long time. Hanggang masundan ng Season 2, Season 3 ang SingleSingle hanggang sa movie, bakit hindi? Ang ganda lang to have that kind of friendship.”

What are some of the scenes that you find interesting or memorable?

“I find it interesting that I get to do things and say lines I don’t think I’ll ever be allowed to say on free TV. Like kanina, when they were asking me doon sa chat, ‘Meron ka bang memorable line?’ We’re still forming memories kasi nasa eighth episode pa lang kami. Hindi naman ako umiinom on TV, medyo bawal ‘yun, may censorship tayo doon, we have to be very careful. Pero dito parang normal lang, para siyang normal na tao. Sinasalamin lang naman sa mga makaka-relate dyan na after a long stressful day all you want to do is just sit down, drink and relax.

“Then, they asked me kanina particularly, ‘Anong natatandaan mo na parang memorable sa’yo?’ Sabi ko, ‘Itong linya na ‘to, hinding-hindi ko masasabi sa free TV.’ Sabi nila, ‘Ano ‘yun?’ Then, inalala ko ‘yung exact words ni Joee. I was drinking doon sa scene with my friends Benny and Rani. Sabi ko, ‘Alam mo, sasambahin ko ‘yung nag-imbento ng alak kasi, kahit anong mangyari, kahit gaano kamali pa ang mundo, at least itong alak na ‘to, may tama ito.’

“Then I took a picture of it and sent it to all my friends and they we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, nakakatawa ‘yung script mo!’ Then I said, ‘Well, then you have to watch SingleSingle.’ So alam mo ‘yun, ‘yung mga ganun na totoo naman. Marami talagang makaka-relate. Like kanina, when I said that, ‘yung mga lalaki umoo na lang sa harapan ko eh, di ba? It’s so nice that we get to show the flaws of a character more than anything. Kasi, we’re all flawed, we’re not perfect, we’re human.”

So what lesson or lessons do you think people, especially the young, can learn from the show?

“We are very proud, happy and grateful that we were given this venue, Cinema One, to show something na ganito katapang, ka-liberated, ganito ka-free. I am willing to fight for this project kasi minsan ka lang mabigyan ng freedom to really execute, to really express yourself, especially our directors and our writers, kasi nga, they tell me, ‘Ah, kasi nga, cable TV tayo.’

“I’m very sure na sobrang matutuwa yung mga tao, makaka-relate sila. But then, ine-emphasize ko rin dito na we may be matapang when it comes to content and the characters, pero since ang co-producer, eh, Philippine STAR, you have to be very responsible also. That’s what I like, we tackle the real issues like sex, one-night-stand, being housemates with people who also have their own needs like Joey (Matteo) na may kanya-kanyang needs na nag-uwi ng babae.

“But it’s nice na merong mag-e-stand out na lesson. Bakit hindi maganda ang one-night-stand? Bakit hindi maganda na mag-uwi ng babae sa bahay na kakakilala mo lang? Makikita n’yo ‘yung effect ‘nun kay Joey and doon sa inuwi niyang babae. So bago pa lang mangyari, sana sa youth natin, habang pinapanood nila ‘to, maging lesson sa kanila na they won’t do that, they’ll know better by watching our show. Exposure is also knowledge.”

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