Kyle Velino: Lost & found

Curtain-raisers:

Is the constant togetherness of Derek Ramsay and Ellen Adarna, said to be neighbors in Alabang, all, uhm, “for show?” That’s according to somebody close to the “only friends” who have not been shy about posting on social media their pictures taken here and there. Said the Funfare source, “Derek must be aware that his ex-girlfriend Andrea Torres is happy, in fact somewhat relieved weeks after their break-up, and he cannot take that. Andrea is quiet and so is Ellen’s ex-boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz. Dignified in silence. Derek’s mom had been reported to be fond of Andrea. I wonder how Derek’s mom feels about Derek and Ellen’s PDA (Public Display of Adventure),” adding, “Andrea deserves a better man.”'

Kyle with Paano ang Pangako? co-stars Elijah Canlas and Miles Ocampo

Here’s a reaction from reader Moli Gailan to the recent Funfare item about the seven actors being eyed for the titular role of the “ultimate Bonifacio movie” (costing multi-millions) to be produced by Dondon Monteverde and Erik Matti for Regal Entertainment, namely Dingdong Dantes, Jericho Rosales, Coco Martin, Raymond Bagatsing, Alden Richards, and Mayors Vico Sotto (Pasig City) and Isko “Yorme” Moreno (Manila): “How come they are considering fair-skinned actors for the part? Andres Bonifacio was poor and indigenous-looking, not mestizo. They should look for actors who are dusky and, I repeat, not mestizo. If you happen to do that in America, that would be considered whitewashing. It’s about time to hire indigenous-looking actors.”

With Karel Marquez, Bing Loyzaga and Ahron Villena

A promising young actor has just lost an endorsement due to an indiscretion which may not be his own doing. He was tapped to replace a popular actor as billboard endorser of a medicine. Just when the billboards were about to be installed around Metro Manila, the company learned that the actor figured in an “indecent video.” Not a good endorsement for the wholesome product. Goodbye, P2M-plus talent fee! Oh well, that’s a painful lesson for aspiring actors who have, so to speak, skeletons in the closet such as, ehem, a sex video.

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Due to the pandemic, Star Magic member Kyle Velino was deadset on quitting showbiz. Kyle is the new addition to the cast of the TV5 continuing drama Paano ang Pangako? (Book Two of the Christmas special Paano ang Pasko?), playing kontrabida to Elijah Canlas who plays his half-brother).

“There was no job available, no offers,” said Kyle, “so what would I do? I decided to continue helping my mom’s export business.”

Then, a stroke of fate. When casting for a villain in the BL series Gameboys, IdeaFirst producers Perci Intalan and Jun Lana retrieved a “lost” copy of Kyle’s audition video for Kalel, 15, which starred Elijah as an HIV patient (the role won for him an Urian Best Actor award). That was how Perci and Jun “found” Kyle and cast him in Gameboys, the BL (Boys Love) series (now streaming on Netflix) that started the trend in the Philippines.

Perci even forgot that Kyle had auditioned for Kalel, 15.

“Gameboys was light comedy and my being a villain was mild,” according to Kyle. “I played the third wheel in the love triangle...Elijah and Kokoy de Santos, and me as Kokoy’s returning ex-boyfriend. In Paano ang Pangako?, medyo heavy ang pagka-kontrabida ko. I belong to a family scheming to destroy a rival family (headed by Maricel Laxa). Tita Bing (Loyzaga) plays my grandmother, Ate Karel (Marquez) my mother and Kuya Ahron (Villena) my uncle. There’s an issue between my character and Elijah’s character. We are rivals for Miles (Ocampo). Tito Bobby (Andrews) plays our dead father.”

Under Star Magic, Kyle has appeared in some soaps (The Good Son and Playhouse) and drama shows (MMK and Ipaglaban Mo). It was couturier Avel Bacudio who brought Kyle (real name: Kyle Castañeda) to Star Magic.

“We didn’t have a screen name for Kyle,” recalled Avel who is a good friend of Kyle’s mom. “After thinking, naisip namin si Paulo Avelino. So why not use Paulo’s surname na lang, minus the letter ‘A’?”

An Export Management student at De La Salle Saint Benilde, Kyle plans to put up his own export business.

“I’m learning a lot from my mom,” he said.

The TV5 drama is a good break for Kyle who is in a lock-in shoot at a resort in San Pablo, Laguna.

“I make it a point to study the script and ask questions from Tito Perci and our directors (Eric Quizon and Ricky Davao who is also in the cast). After I was ‘lost’ and ‘found,’ I don’t want to waste this second chance.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)