Pauleen Luna: What Vic and I have is true love

Actress Pauleen Luna said her easygoing, laid-back personality proved to be a plus factor in her relationship with “Eat Bulaga” cohost Vic Sotto.

She acknowledged that they both had learned a lot from each other.

She taught him to be mellow; he inspired her to mature, both personally and professionally.

She may be unaware of it, but Bossing Vic’s humor had undoubtedly rubbed off on her, too. She put these newly honed comedic skills to good use in her latest indie film, Alvin Yapan’s “GayDar,” which opens November 13 in theaters nationwide.

“GayDar” will be her birthday treat to her fans, as she will turn 25 on Nov. 10.

She conceded that she might have picked up her “comic timing” from Bossing and the rest of the “Dabarkads.”

The Philippine Daily Inquirer caught up with Pauleen at the recent Dickies fashion show at the SM Mall of Asia. On the ramp, she exuded the same no-frills self-assurance that was often on full display in the GMA 7 noontime show “Eat Bulaga.”

Fresh from the catwalk, she granted an exclusive interview with the Inquirer, opening up about her romance with Bossing.

Here are excerpts from Pauleen’s chat with the Inquirer.

You are always asked about your wedding plans.
Oo nga e. It should not come from me. It’s not something that a girl should volunteer.

Do you discuss it as a couple?

Sometimes we do. But it’s not something that’s decided by a girl alone.

Do you feel pressured?

I sometimes pity him. It’s as if people are pressuring him to get married.

But right now in our relationship, we are very happy. Like what I’ve said before: We are not fooling around. What we have is something really serious.

We’ve been together for quite a while now. To those who judged us at the start, I can only say one thing: Only time will tell if what we have is real or superficial.

We don’t have to exert extra effort to convince them that what we have is true love.

What did you learn from him?

I learned a lot from him: from the facts of life to handling business and dealing with real-life situations. He also helps me a lot when it comes to my career.

Sometimes he tells me that I’m too nice to people. He gives me small pieces of advice. Of course I listen, because he’s a veteran in the industry and he’s very important to me.

What did he pick up from you?
Aside from youth? (Laughs) Maybe I taught him how to have a good time. I’m very relaxed … I’m a no-pressure, stress-free kind of person. I’m not the type who panics easily.

Does being in a relationship with a comedian make you funny, too?
Well, hindi naman siguro (not really).

VIC SOTTO and Pauleen after the premiere of “GayDar.” instagram photo

Is it because he’s quiet?
If it’s just the two of us, he’s hilarious. He’s a comedian in front of a crowd … then becomes reserved among a few friends. But when we’re together, he tends to break down his walls.

He’s very funny in private. Funnier actually, because he’s not trying. His being a natural comedian comes out. Well, it’s also very easy to make me laugh. I’m the No. 1 fan of his jokes.

Does humor help the relationship?

Oh yes! Nothing beats a relationship filled with joy and laughter. Even if you go through rough times, if your partner manages to cheer you up, it makes things lighter.

Is it true that you will spend Christmas abroad?

I will be traveling with my family to Japan. Vic will not be with us. It’s just me and my family. It’s special because it’ll be our first time in Japan and it’s winter pa. My first time to see, feel, touch, smell snow! My first time to have a white Christmas.

I am very excited because I love sushi, sashimi, Japanese food in general. My brother is looking forward to visiting Disneyland and DisneySea. It’ll be fun.

What are your birthday plans?

Actually, I have no plans. Definitely, I’ll just be in the country.

Maybe someone is planning a surprise?

I don’t know. I am not expecting anything! With the way things are going now, I am just happy to have a peaceful and simple life. I am not looking for anything big and grand.

What was it like working with Rafael Rosell and Tom Rodriguez in “GayDar”?

Rafael and I share the same birthday and we worked together in (the ABS-CBN series) “Marina” years ago. It’s my first time to work with Tom. It’s very easy to work with them.

What was it like working with director Alvin Yapan?

He’s very quiet. Before the start of the shoot, he told me that he hoped to be more vocal … that was his weakness daw. He’s too shy to give instructions to his actors. It seems he never gets mad. So our shoot was hassle-free.

How does it feel that Bossing Vic is supportive of “GayDar”?

He attended the premiere. It feels good because our indie film is not as big as the mainstream movies that he does. He’s a pillar in the industry. Direk Alvin said it was overwhelming that a top comedian like Vic supported our little rom-com.

What were Bossing’s comments about “GayDar”?

He liked it. At first, he wasn’t laughing. But he later explained that he never laughs out loud, even when he watches his own movies. Eventually, I heard him giggle. Our movie has a cute plot.

Direk Alvin said your training in “Eat Bulaga” came in handy in this film.
I play a girl who’s a babaeng bakla (a woman who acts like a gay man). The role somehow requires comic timing.

“Gaydar”

How did your stint in “Eat Bulaga” help in this film?

Every day, I am surrounded by comedians in the studio. After only a year or two, anyone would surely become funny, too. And I’ve been in the show for over eight years.

The show really helped me shed my inhibitions. If you do comedy, you shouldn’t be shy. You should be confident and straight-to-the-point in delivering jokes.

You do the character Poleng in the show.

The very glamorous Poleng!

You are not afraid to look silly?

You should bear this in mind: If you are still trying to look pretty while doing comedy, it won’t work.

(E-mail [email protected])