Ruru Madrid thrives on work expectations

MANILA, Philippines — Headlining any project comes with expectations, especially when its debut season is a success. Two of them are for the show to perform well, ratings-wise, and to offer something new.

Ruru Madrid, the lead actor of the GMA adventure series, “Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan,” is aware of it and knows that it comes with the territory.

“Siguro yung pressure naman parang, I guess yun yung hindi mawawala sa atin (perhaps, the pressure doesn’t go away in our line of work),” said the Primetime Action Hero in a group interview.

“Personally, mas kini-keep ko siya na dapat laging may pressure para hindi ka maging kampante sa mga ginagawa mo (I always make sure to keep some level of pressure so that I don’t become complacent with what I’m doing). Lagi mong gustong mag-improve, hindi lang sa pangsarili kundi sa kabuuan na bumubuo nitong ‘Lolong,’ na (sinasabi) na lagi may bago tayong maipapakita (You always want to improve — not just for yourself but for the whole team behind ‘Lolong,’ so that we always have something new to offer.”

Being competitive in that sense, as one may put it, is imbibed by the creatives to keep audiences entertained and engaged.

“Para sa akin, ginagawa naman natin ito para po sa mga manonood (For me, we’re doing it for the televiewers). So whatever they’ve seen in 2002, we should surpass it and offer something new in the new season. For me, (such kind of) competition should come from us to, like, always present something new. We always have to do better.”

Fulfilling such a promise is definitely even more possible now since there are no restrictions on doing TV productions compared to 2022, when there was a pandemic.

“Mas maluwag kasi nga hindi kami naka-lock (in) sa iisang lugar lang, pwede kaming magpalipat, lipat (It’s free from restrictions and we’re no longer locked in one place. We hop from one shooting location to another),” said Ruru.

With that, the show provides more vistas, where the action and drama scenes will unfold, and which make the Season 2 visually feasting. If there were ideas the show’s creatives wished to do in the first season, they could now afford to consider them and make them happen in the new season.

“Mas lumalaki yung coverage and at the same time, before parang nasa 14 cast lang yata kami, pero ngayon nasa singkwenta kami ngayon lahat (The coverage has become bigger in that sense, and before we had 14 cast members, we’re 50 talents all in all),” shared he, adding that the style for fight sequences has also been changed or updated. “Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan” has also two directors namely King Marc Baco and Rommel Penesa.

“Kung ano po yung nakita ninyo noong Season 1, ibang-iba yung makikita ninyo this time, pero siyempre, hindi pa rin mawawala yung core ng ‘Lolong,’ which is yung pangangalaga sa ating kalikasan at pagiging bayani (What you saw in Season 1 will be very different from what you’ll see this time. But, of course, the core message of ‘Lolong’ remains the same — taking care of the environment and becoming a hero,” said Ruru. “It’s about how you understand what it means to be a hero),” said Ruru. “Kumbaga, sa iyong pagka-unawa kung papaano magiging isang bayani (the latter is based on your understanding on heroism).”

Speaking of action scenes, “Lolong: Bayani ng Bayan” also highlights Filipino martial arts (FMA) to introduce it to the viewers, who will take pride in it as they watch the show.

FMA expert Ronnie Royce Base is on set to check the proper form and execution of it. Available information online shares that Filipino martial arts is also known as arnis, having its own “complete fighting system of self-defense” with varied weaponry, including rattan sticks and empty hands.

Ruru said they would have training for almost every week to “learn the forms.”

“Yung mga ginagawa natin ay sobrang realistic at talagang maipagmamalaki po natin sa ating mga kababayan (What we’re doing is very realistic and our kababayan will really be proud of it),” the actor concluded.

Watch and follow the personal journey of Lolong weeknights at 8 after “24 Oras” on GMA Prime.