Boyet on daughter Mariel’s failed bid in Miss Int’l tilt

Christopher de Leon (right) with daughter Mariel

After countless acting awards and hit movies, Christopher de Leon is still around and very much in demand. His charisma has not diminished at all. Boyet (his nickname) ought to give a crash course on “staying power.”

The seasoned actor dazzles anew in GMA 7’s drama series, “Kambal Karibal” (KK), which airs weeknights after “Super Ma’am.” It is a riveting tale that crosses over to the supernatural realm. With Boyet in the cast, the series already has a captive audience. Hail to “De Leon” King!

Here’s my chat with Boyet:

How did you cheer up your daughter Mariel after her failed bid in the Miss International beauty pageant? Mariel didn’t need any cheering up or comfort. She took it very well. She was very happy to have been part of the Miss International journey. She savored every moment of her stay in Japan and learned a lot of new things. She also made new friends from around the world.

At this point of your illustrious acting career, what else do you want to achieve? I want to direct and produce films.

Any roles you still want to portray? There are still many roles I like which I haven’t done yet—a seaman, a boxer, a trainer, a spy.

How do you make younger actors feel less pressured when they’re doing a scene with you? It’s actually the other way around, because they expect a lot from me. I usually talk to them about our roles and their backgrounds, where our characters are coming from, and their relationship with the other characters.

How did you handle midlife crisis? What midlife crisis (laughs)?

What makes your marriage (with Sandy Andolong) work? A whole lot of love and understanding. And placing God at the center of our marriage.

If your life story would be made into a movie, what would the title be? “Never Give Up.”

We, at the Cinema Evaluation Board, gave Star Cinema’s “Unexpectedly Yours” a grade of A. The much-awaited return of Sharon Cuneta and Robin Padilla’s love team does not disappoint. They still have what it takes to keep kilig levels rising.

Their being so candid, natural and comfy with each other is very much felt onscreen.

The presence of Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia makes the movie all the more charming. What a delight it is to relish the vicarious thrills courtesy of “ShaBin” and “JoshLia.” Such a hearty dose of “millennial love” and “old-school romance” combined. Plus, a generous serving of lessons on aging, coping and family ties. “Unexpectedly Yours” goes beyond cinephiles’ expectations.