How the guitar changed Xian, Glaiza’s 1st impression

Glaiza de Castro (left) and Xian Lim

Glaiza de Castro and Xian Lim had more or less the same first impression of each other.

Xian thought Glaiza was “super intense,” someone he couldn’t talk to unless it was about the new series they were working on. Glaiza, on the other hand, had Xian pegged as overly serious and suplado, someone who doesn’t have much room for humor.

But all that changed when they realized that both of them had brought a guitar to the locked-in taping. The passion they share for music was one of the things that ultimately broke the ice.

“I saw that we had guitars with us, so I told him, ‘Tara, jamming tayo.’ We didn’t have a lot of free time, because we had a hectic schedule, but we were able to sit down and play together one night,” Glaiza said in a virtual conference for the upcoming primetime series “False Positive.”

“We both love music … A melody crossed her mind and she started humming it. I then got my guitar and played along with it. I said, ‘You know, it would be nice if we could turn this into a song,” added Xian, who used to be part of a symphonic band back in high school, and also plays the piano and saxophone.

Glaiza, who has a gold-record selling album as a singer, was surprised that the song was almost ready for recording the next day. “Xian already had a chord progression and outro!” she told the Inquirer.

And contrary to their initial impressions, Xian and Glaiza realized later on that they’re actually fun-loving people.

“Xian is a really funny guy, which I didn’t expect … I can’t have a quiet leading man on the set because we won’t jibe. But I was so amused by his energy—his energy is in another dimension,” Glaiza said, laughing. “And it’s not just between takes, but also during our scenes. So I have to keep up with im.”

Their newfound friendship came particularly handy, because their show, “False Positive,” is a romantic comedy with a bit of fantasy. Directed by Irene Villamor, the show follows newlyweds Edward (Xian) and Yannie (Glaiza), who are about to start a family.

But exasperated with Edward’s inability to understand and empathize with her struggles as a pregnant woman, Yannie wishes—during a quarrel in front of a mysterious and magical Adam and Eve sculpture—that Edward carries their baby instead. Later on, at the doctor’s office, a heartbeat is detected from Edward’s tummy.

“It’s not about COVID-19!” Glaiza said, laughing. “It’s about the challenges a married couple goes through, as they try to start their own family. It’s very kalog. The movement and expressions are exaggerated. It’s such a fun show, so the mood on the set was light.”

Edward is a kind, hardworking man, who tries to respect and fulfill all the wishes of his loved ones—his parents and Yannie—even if that means sacrificing his own. Yannie is a strong, passionate woman who has many dreams and a lot of things to prove. “They have different views on how a marriage should be,” Xian said. “It touches on the ego and pride of the man; the woman’s vulnerability.”

Xian was supposed to do the series “Love. Die. Repeat” as his first project with GMA 7. Taping had to be postponed, however, because his costar, Jennylyn Mercado, had a delicate pregnancy and had to take a break from work.

“When we packed up, I wondered about what was going to happen. ‘Will I be given another show for the meantime?’ I thought,” he related. “That’s why I’m thankful I was given ‘False Positive.’ I had to pivot from a heavy drama to romantic comedy. But I found the material fun and really enjoyed the process.”

Does he see himself doing more projects with GMA 7? “I will always tell the bosses that I’m grateful for the opportunities they give me. I’m happy now. And if they decide to give me more shows, I will be there because they have been nothing but good to me,” said Xian, who’s currently working for the Kapuso on a per-project basis.

The recent wave of artists crossing networks is a welcome development for Glaiza. “I’m always up for collaborations, because I get inspired by meeting and working and learning from new people,” she said.

Xian is currently in a relationship with actress Kim Chiu; Glaiza, with Irish surfing instructor and businessman David Rainey. How did their partners react to the new pairing?

“One time, we chanced upon Xian’s billboard. I pointed to it and said, ‘He’s going to be my leading man.’ David gets my work. He still gets awkward watching my scenes, but he’s very supportive … I introduced him to Xian and my coactors through video calls,” Glaiza related.

“Kim and I are both actors, so no explanations needed,” Xian added. “We both know what our work entails, so we just support each other’s individual projects.” INQ