Why hunks Tony and Marco don’t get turned on while doing love scenes

Tony Labrusca and Marco Gumabao

While their previous works can give people the impression that they’re already used to baring skin in front of the cameras, Marco Gumabao and Tony Labrusca insisted that it’s something that no one could ever get used to.

And the upcoming sexy drama flick “Hindi Tayo Pwede”—which had the two men doing steamy scenes with leading lady Lovi Poe—is no different. “It may seem like we’re comfortable doing those types of scenes, but the truth is, no—definitely not. We always get scared at first. There’s always hiya and awkwardness once you’re on the spot, and especially when you’re working with an actress you haven’t worked with in the past,” Marco told reporters at a press conference for the said film, which opens on March 4.

Marco, whose last film was another sexy drama—“Just a Stranger” with Anne Curtis—said being intimate with someone on-screen takes a lot of preparation. “For instance, I was informed that I was doing a love scene with Lovi on such a short notice … just the night before the shoot. That got me nervous because I wasn’t ready, physi­cally, at least. And you can’t help but worry about these things when you have to show off your body,” the 25-year-old actor pointed out. Thankfully, the process is much easier when working with a proficient actress like Lovi. “After the first take, the awkwardness starts to go away. And once you ­realize that you’re doing this for the movie, that’s when it all flows,” he said.

But even then, the two actors maintained that you can’t really get turned on while working. “We’re in a professional setting. What people forget is that when we do those scenes, there are a lot of people around us,” said Tony, whose passionate kissing scene with Angel Aquino in the film “Glorious” made headlines not too long ago. “You have the cameras, the lights, the director.”

“I know that when you see the end result, it’s like magic, there’s spark. But there’s a lot of hard work in it,” stressed the 24-year-old actor.

In “Hindi Tayo Pwede,” Tony plays Gab, who dies in a freak car accident days before his wedding with Gabby (Lovi). In her time of grief, Gabby gets comforted by Gab’s best friend, Dennis (Marco), who, apparently, has been secretly in love with her. Eventually, they get intimate. But as it all happens, Gabby still gets to communicate and make love with Gab via supernatural twist.

While the film’s trailer does highlight the steamy bits, “it’s not all there is to it.”

“We’re not selling it as a movie of love scenes. It really is mostly about relationships—there are confrontations, dramatic moments, too. It’s a love story among three people and each of them has his or her own burden to carry. I hope people get to see that,” Marco said. “When you love someone you express it by making love. It’s normal, that’s included in the film. But it’s really about how love transcends death. It’s a beautiful story,” added Tony, who was thrilled to be paired with Lovi for his first big screen project with Viva.

“I didn’t expect that I would be paired with her. And I’m really happy about that because Lovi is already an established actor who has proven herself in the industry. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with her.”

How do they relate to their characters? Tony said he would have probably made the same decisions as Gab. “Imagine being so in love with someone—your one true love—and you die. If you’re allowed to come back and love that person again, wouldn’t you take that chance?” Meanwhile, Marco, like Dennis, has had the experience of falling for someone who’s in love with another person. “You can be the best of friends or have the best chemistry, but things still don’t work out because of various circumstances. You’re not just destined for each other. It’s sad. But that’s reality. It’s about acceptance. You have to move on,” Marco said.