Sid Lucero on sis Andi Eigenmann: She’s tough

SID Lucero

Actor Sid Lucero regards his younger half-sister Andi Eigenmann as one tough girl.

“She can very well take care of herself,” Lucero says of Andi, 21, who delivered baby girl Adrianna Gabrielle on Nov. 23. “A running joke between us is that, if anyone tried to harm her, siya na rin mismo ang sasapak.”

Lucero, son of actors Mark Gil and Bing Pimentel (Andi is Mark’s daughter with Jaclyn Jose), admits that among his siblings, he is the most affectionate toward Andi. “I guess it’s because I seldom see her—so I get very cariñoso. I don’t force myself to be her kuya. It’s not always good to act like a big brother because sometimes you tend to smother … ”

The actor says he supports Andi’s return to show biz after she gave birth. “First thing I told her when she got into the business was, ‘This is good, huh? You make your own money, you support yourself.’ If she decides to come back, I might remind her that she’s no longer working just for herself but also for her child.”

Andi’s experience as a mom will make her an even better actress, Lucero believes. “She’s gone through a lot. She’ll be better than me in terms of channeling life experiences.”

Lucero is regularly seen in the drama series “Amaya.” He is also the lead actor in Dennis Marasigan’s “Anatomiya ng Korupsyon,” an entry to the recently concluded Cinema One Originals Film Festival.

Set in the 1980s, the film is about young lady lawyer Cely (Maricar Reyes) who joins the Family Court as hearing officer. She incurs the ire of coworkers by disposing of cases expeditiously, robbing them of opportunities to make money. Maricar won best actress, and costar Jojit Lorenzo, best supporting actor, at the festival.

“My character Rick is one of the main lawyers in the movie,” Lucero relates. “He will not break the law but he will bend it as much as he can. This happens all over the world, but few would admit it.”

Asked whether he’s more comfortable doing indie films than mainstream projects, Lucero says he finds no difference between the two. “There are two kinds of films, as far as I can see—the kind that [aims to] make money and that which seeks to tell a good story.”

He cites the case of Maryo J. delos Reyes’ “Red Diaries” (2001), which was marred by controversy. The Philippine National Police protested its screening, claiming that one of the three episodes is a direct insult to the force.

“Mainstream art is all about communicating with the masses,” says Lucero. “For me, there’s little point in attempting to communicate with just one sector, instead of with the whole world.”