GMA 7 finds perfect chemistry in Kim & Lexi

With film and TV production work temporarily put on hold March of last year due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Kim de Leon and Lexi Gonzales said they spent their work-free days improving their acting skills at home.

According to Lexi, the lockdown happened right after the completion of the two acting workshops she attended — one, under Ana Feleo and, another, with the GMA Artist Center team.

“I did the (acting) exercises that were taught to us at home to prepare myself in doing dramatic scenes,” said the StarStruck Season 7 First Princess during the virtual media conference for GMA News TV’s My Fantastic Pag-Ibig held recently.

Kim, on the other hand, said he wasn’t able to attend all the workshop sessions under Ana due to Internet problems. “I was in Batangas then and it was only recently when I returned to Manila. And I have a funny way of practicing to better my skill. Minsan sa banyo before taking a bath, I would imagine myself in a dramatic scene and try to internalize so I can put on the right emotion.”

The StarStruck 7 Ultimate Male Survivor also studies films of the acting greats. “I pay attention to how they (actors) approach acting and in what way they affect me (as a viewer) and then I try to incorporate it into my own (studies).”

Kim and Lexi are now being paired as a loveteam with the two-part episode of My Fantastic Pag-Ibig, titled Love Wars, as their debut project.

“We were initially paired up in a comedy skit of All-Out Sundays (AOS),” shared Kim on how their loveteam began. “Bagay naman daw kami at nagkaroon na rin kami ng fans.”

He added, “Before, ‘di nila alam who they were going to partner me with but not until we did the comedy skit in AOS. Reactions from the audience were positive, including the comments from netizens, so Lexi and I are excited in our loveteam.”

Lexi, on the other hand, admitted she didn’t expect it to happen. “I didn’t expect that it would be Kim knowing that he’s the Ultimate Survivor and parang automatic na si Shayne (Sava, Ultimate Female Survivor) ‘yung i-partner sa kanya. But in fairness, Kim and I are okay.”

Kim revealed that during their StarStruck days, he wasn’t close to Lexi “because I felt she won’t talk to me plus she’s so talented kaya intimidating s’ya. Natatakot kaming kausapin s’ya noon (laughs).”

They only began talking to each other towards the end part of the contest. “Iilan na lang kaming naiwan so no choice but to talk to her, hahaha,” Kim added.

Lexi finds Kim a good partner in more ways than one. “Masayang kasama at nakakasundo ko s’ya sa maraming bagay at nagkakaintindihan talaga kami.”

In fact, Lexi shared that most of their scenes were finished right away since they are already comfortable with each other. “There were parts where we no longer had to talk about what to do basta nagagawa lang namin together. Plus, nakakapagbiruan na kami unlike before when it felt awkward. We now talk a lot and I feel Kim is more confident with himself now. Like what I said, gumagaling s’ya as an actor.”

In Love Wars, Kim is modern-day cupid Milos/Pido who believes dating apps only result in broken hearts while Lexi is dating app developer Lovelyn. With their roles in the brink of extinction because of technology, Pido is given a mission to break the cycle of finding love in the digital age by trying to sabotage the dating app, Matchmaker, created by Lovelyn who is bent on making it a success.

“This series required me to show mixed emotions since there’s comedy, kilig and drama, plus a bit of action and fantasy. Good thing, there were rehearsals and a lot of time to internalize on the set,” said Lexi.

Airing on Saturday evenings at 7:30, My Fantastic Pag-Ibig is a collection of light, funny and feel-good love stories set in present time but infused with exciting and dynamic plots. Every story will have two episodes with the concluding part of Kim and Lexi’s episode to air tonight.

Love Wars also stars Rodjun Cruz, Divine Aucina, Maey Bautista and Mike Liwag.