Arci, Gerald tackle LDR woes in mini movie

CEBU, Philippines — Arci Muñoz’s sex appeal was too hard to ignore that Gerald Anderson said his reaction to their webcam trysts in the digital short film “Hook-Up” was “kind of true to life.”

Unveiling 7:30 tonight on Kapamilya Online Live, their “Love Unlock” episode will air after Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto’s “E-Numan.” In “Hook-Up,” Gerald and Arci’s Carlo and Michelle are long-term beaus who were supposed to vacation in Boracay when the lockdown left her stuck in Manila, him in the province. They are in that stage where the girl is expecting to be proposed to.

To assuage their yearning for physical intimacy, they get playful in Zoom calls, much like many LDR (long distance relationship) couples do. But the online hook-ups will also give way to buried resentments, testing whether their love will survive this lockdown.

Their third project together after the Star Cinema films “Always Be My Maybe” and “Can We Still Be Friends,” Arci and Gerald – just like JoshLia – were picked because of their proven onscreen spark, especially that their episode only has the two of them as cast.

Director Dado Lumibao said the script was originally mushy, but after interacting with Arci for the first time and seeing how her bedroom was chockfull of toys, they re-wrote her character as someone child-like instead of a hopeless romantic.

“Napaka-kengkay pala,” he shared of Arci. “Yung sense of humor niya, nagsa-swak sila ni Gerald. Pilya but oozing with sexiness. Mas gumanda yung kuwento tuloy.”

Direk Dado added that Arci is the type who expresses her feelings and thoughts in a cute way, so while it may sound offensive if articulated by someone else, the actress just comes off telling the truth.

He’s worked with Gerald in a few MMK episodes, and Direk Dado lauded the “A Soldier’s Heart” star’s unflappable nature. “Yung tipong nakakapikon na ang sitwasyon pero relax and cool pa rin. He’s also very focused. Ang ibang artista, bigyan mo ng monologue, mahihirapan mag-memorize. Gerald’s style, he doesn’t memorize per line. Iniisip niya anong ibig sabihin, bakit niya sinasabi yun. You can tell he loves his craft.”

Read into his words what you want: Gerald said he can identify with his role in “Hook-Up” as “misunderstood by the girlfriend.” Told to set rumors straight about him and Julia secretly dating, Bea Alonzo’s ex was unyielding.

“Ayoko pag-usapan ang isang taong wala dito at walang koneksyon sa ginagawa natin ngayon. Respeto na rin siguro sa kanila. Staying silent…that’s really my character,” he said. “I mind my own business and ipapayo ko rin yan sa ibang tao.”

As to why his easy tandem with Arci never led to a real life hook-up as far as the public knows, she explained, “As much as possible, I don’t want to have a boyfriend in the industry. I don’t want awkwardness, which I’ve observed around me. All of my screen partners, they feel like I’m one of the boys. I’m comfortable with my leading men maybe because I don’t mix in malice.”

Arci – who has spent her quarantine productively by studying Korean language online, learning to play bass guitar, and training as an Air Force reservist after she was invited to influence the youth to enlist – said that she has been single by choice for the past two years. It’s the longest she’s been without a plus one.

“Every time I’m in a relationship, I give it my all. Parang ako yung lalaki. I forget about leaving a little bit of self-love,” said Arci. “During the quarantine, I was really able to spend time alone, so I learned that for you to be able to love someone else, you have to love yourself.”