Azul
At 23, actress Ritz Azul said she may still be inexperienced in having a boyfriend, but she is no novice when it comes to kissing men for the small screen.
The star of the ABS-CBN afternoon series, “Promise of Forever,” is a member of the No Boyfriend Since Birth (NBSB) club, but while making the series, she got to lock lips with not one, but two men—Paulo Avelino and Ejay Falcon.
“They aren’t the first to do that with me, so I do have experience in that aspect,” said the former contract artist of rival network TV5, “but doing it with Paulo and Ejay was still nerve-racking. It’s a different experience for each men. I’m thankful that they took care of me well.”
“I’m also lucky to have talented directors [Darnel Joy Villaflor and Hannah Espia]. The shots came out really sensual and not distasteful at all,” Ritz observed, adding that the challenge was really on how to make the kissing scenes believable.
At the recent media gathering for the series, Ritz was asked who between Paulo and Ejay matched the traits of her ideal guy. After pointing out that the boys were both “taken—Ejay is dating Jana Roxas, while Paulo is with Jodie Elizabeth Tarasek—Ritz said: “They’re exact opposites. Ejay is the chatty type, while Paulo is quiet and secretive. I prefer the mysterious type. Physically, I go for the clean look. Ejay has a goatee, which I’m allergic to.”
Ritz Azul (center) with her leading men, Paulo Avelino (left) and Ejay Falcon, in “The Promise of Forever”
Ritz said that, ultimately, she simply wanted a guy “who would show genuine love and care for me, someone who will be by my side no matter what happens.”
A sign that Ritz could be thinking of getting serious with a guy is when she introduces him to her parents. “If I feel that I’ve met the right guy, I will no long entertain other suitors. I don’t set high standards—he just has to be respectful and God-fearing. Of course, I hope he isn’t older than me by more than five years.”
She also clarified that her decision to still not get romantically involved with anyone at 23 was not a result of any hurtful romantic experiences in the past. “I know I’ll get to that. I grew up not really open to those things—bahay-eskwela lang ako,” she explained. “My high school life wasn’t spent on getting to know the opposite sex romantically. I actually played basketball with them!”
Ritz added: “I consider getting into a relationship a responsibility. If I ever get involved in one, I want to be as dedicated to it as I am to my work as an actress. It’s also wrong to say that I have no suitors. They just often end up becoming my good friends. I believe in the promise of forever—which is why the show’s title suits me well. It’s the reason I’m still single.”