Vhong speaks on Empoy’s success, Lovi as co-actor, Noven’s rape case
In Vhong Navarro’s filmography, “Mr. Suave” is one of his most successful movies ever made.
Actually, his character as the ultimate ladies’ man still fascinates us in this age and time.
It’s also in this Joyce Bernal opus made in 2003 where he had the opportunity to work with Empoy Marquez, a budding comedian then.
Empoy Marquez joined the “Mr. Suave” contest in the defunct Kapamilya noontime show “Magandang Tanghali Bayan” in the same year.
After being noticed for his comic flair, Star Cinema got him for the part of Mr. Takatak in the said Navarro starrer.
With the success of Empoy’s “Kita Kita”at the tills that elevated him to leading man status, Vhong is quite ecstatic for the actor’s new-found popularity.
“Si Empoy, kung anuman ang narating niya ngayon, pinaghirapan naman niya talaga iyon. Dumaan din naman siya sa butas ng karayom. Hindi rin naman ganoon kadali ang kanyang pinagdaanan bago siya nabigyan ng big break,” Vhong said.
“Happy ako sa kanya kasi, mabait naman at masipag na tao si Empoy. Alam kong bine-bless din siya kasi mabuti siyang anak at kapatid sa kanyang pamilya,” he added.
He said that early in Empoy’s career, he already took notice of his unique comedic talent.
“Noon pa man kasing nakasama ko siya sa “Mr. Suave,” nakita ko na ang potensyal niya. May talent talaga siya sa pagpapatawa at masarap pala ang feeling na nakikita mo ang dating katrabaho mo na nagtatagumpay, kasi parang naging bahagi ka na rin ng kanyang tagumpay. At kung anuman ang inaani niya ngayon, deserved naman niya iyon,” he pointed out.
Vhong is back to show his comic prowess in “Woke Up Like This” where he plays a hardcourt hero who wakes up one morning trapped in a woman’s body.
“Hindi siya slapstick. It’s situational ang comedy. Hindi ito iyong first time na nagsama kami ni Lovi . Noong una, hindi kami nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na maging close. Pero dito, marami akong nadiskubre sa kanya.
“Napakasarap pala niyang katrabaho. Wala siyang ere sa katawan. Nadiskubre ko rin na, nakakatawa pala siya at magaling ding komedyante,” he elucidated.
He said he also appreciates Lovi’s cooperativeness on the set.
“Natutunan ko sa kanya na maging mas professional. Akala ko kasi, professional na ako . Kasi, siya, basta sa ikagaganda ng pelikula, gagawin niya. Game siya. Kasi, nag-switch nga ang personalities namin dito, so nagtatanong talaga siya kung paano niya ipo-portray iyong ako o kung paano niya ako gagayahin.Sa set, binabantayan niya ako at binabantayan ko rin siya. Masarap kasi na sa katrabaho mo, marami kang natutunan tulad ni Lovi,” he explained.
Though comfortable in comedy, he, however, admitted that he had some difficulty in attacking his role.
“Sa comedy kasi napaka-importante ng timing. Minsan din, kailangang mas exags, para mas nakakatawa. Kung hindi mo kasi i-e-exags para lang magiging monotone iyong character mo. So, nahirapan din ako lalo na kung paano gagayahin si Lovi kasi pag Sabrina ako dapat Loving-Lovi ako at pag Nando ako, dapat ganoon din,” he stressed.
Regarding the case of Noven Belleza ,first ever Tawag ng Tanghalan winner, accused of sexual assault, he had this to say.
“Hirap din siyempre iyong naging sitwasyon ni Noven. Kasi, nakaka-relate ako kasi nangyari rin iyon sa akin. Sana lang, maayos na,” he said.
Asked about the new rape complaint filed against him by Deniece Cornejo, Vhong refused to comment any further.
“Woke Up Like This” also stars Lovi Poe, Joey Marquez, Bayani Agbayani, Cora Waddell, Raikko Matteo, Dionne Monsanto, Yanna Asistio and a lot more.
Produced by Regal Entertainment and directed by Joel Ferrer (Hello World, Baka, Siguro, Yata), the comedy event of the year is now playing in all theatres nationwide.
