Paulo Avelino shuttles from heel to hero

Paulo Avelino as Goyo

It’s rare for actors these days to be allowed to shuttle between bida and kontrabida roles onscreen. Typecasting, after all, is more often the norm in these parts, limiting the growth and potential of Filipino actors.

But for Paulo Avelino juggling good and bad guy roles is par for the course; it’s all in a day’s work for him.

After portraying a psychotic killer on the small screen (in ABS-CBN’s “Ang Probinsyano”), he plays an unconventional hero on the big screen in “I’m Drunk, I Love You,” which is produced by the same team behind the hit epic “Heneral Luna” (Tuko, Buchi Boy and Artikulo Uno or TBA).

In the romantic musical-comedy directed by JP Habac, Avelino plays an overstaying college student, a slacker who is largely unaware that his best buddy (played by Maja Salvador) is hopelessly devoted to him.

Nothing but praise

He has nothing but praise for his screen partner Salvador, who was his costar in the soap opera “Bridges of Love” and the sexy comedy flick “Status: It’s Complicated.”

“It’s always a treat working with Maja,” he related. “She’s bubbly and a very good actress. This time, we are doing something different. It’s offbeat and original.”

He also has good words for the debuting director. “I had worked with JP before. He was the art director of the movies I did with [director] Jerrold Tarog—‘Sana Dati’ and ‘Heneral Luna,’” he recalled.

He was more or less familiar with the young filmmaker’s work style.

“JP gave us freedom,” Avelino recounted. “He was always cool and calm at work. Our set was very relaxed and chill.”

After playing a tipsy heel in “I’m Drunk,” he will assume the persona of a controversial hero in “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral,” Tarog’s much-anticipated followup to “Heneral Luna.”

In the movie (again produced by TBA), Avelino will reprise a part that was introduced in “Heneral Luna,” the youthful leader of the Philippine revolution, Gregorio del Pilar.

He has started doing research on the man and his exploits. He also met with historian Ambeth Ocampo recently.

“There are many discussions and opinions about Goyo,” he related.

Sifting through the conflicting views on our past is one of the main challenges presented by this latest endeavor.

“I am interested in what went on in the mind of someone like Goyo who became a general at such a young age,” he explained.

He is certain that there was a bit of yabang—which others may perceive as either self-confidence or plain arrogance—in the young general.

“Plus, he was handsome and there were lots of women hovering around him,” he acknowledged.

That part, at least, Avelino is very much familiar with.

Next stop for the Urian-winning actor is the TV series, “The Promise of Forever,” which also topbills Ritz Azul and Ejay Falcon and was partly shot in Europe.

“We traveled to Rotterdam, Kraków and Prague. It’s a pity that we didn’t have the chance to roam around, though,” he quipped. “The schedule was pretty hectic.”

“I’m Drunk, I Love You” opens today.