‘Pedro Penduko’ role ‘quite overwhelming’ for Matteo Guidicelli

Matteo Guidicelli retells the tale of Pedro Penduko to the new generation as he portrays the legendary Pinoy superhero in “Penduko,” mounted by Viva Films, Epik Studios, Ninuno Media and Sari-Sari Network for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which opens on Dec. 25.

It is based on National Artist Francisco V. Coching’s 1954 comic book about a young man with supernatural powers and his battle against evil forces. Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana, it is also headlined by John Arcilla and Albert Martinez. Make way for Matteo à la Penduko, version 2.0.

Here are quotes from Matteo (M), Jason (J), Albert (A) and John (JA):

M: It’s my first MMFF entry and “Pedro Penduko” is part of Pinoy culture, so it’s quite overwhelming. I had an acting workshop with Tita Ruby Ruiz and I underwent martial arts training as my preparation. I don’t let the pressure of being pitted against MMFF veterans get to me. Since our trailer got over 2 million views—and counting—we’re confident that our movie will do well.

J: The “Penduko” series of Ramon Zamora, Janno Gibbs and Matt Evans had no backstory, so I created one for our film. That’s where the character of John Arcilla comes in as Pedro’s albularyo father. Our film is mainly set in the city instead of the province unlike previous versions. Millennials will be able to relate to “Penduko 2023” because, like most of them, Pedro left home to pursue his dream.

A: Winning awards is important when you are a newbie because you want to make your mark. But when you have found your niche in the biz, box-office success matters more.

JA: The way Direk Jason wrote the script made it easier for us actors to do our thing. He led us into the story seamlessly. He is so precise. Every scene is already pictured in his head. I must say that the role of Penduko is tailor-made for Matteo.

M: If I could have a supernatural power like Penduko, I want it to be the ability to fill people with love just by the touch of my hand.

J: I’m known for my romance films. That was my way of surviving the industry. “Penduko” is more my genre. I hope it clicks because I don’t want to get stuck in romance films (laughs).

A: The superpower I wish I could have is to turn back the hands of time so I can be with the love of my life, (my wife) Liezl, once again.

Life ‘on the fast lane’ for Ruru

After Ruru Madrid’s crocodile adventures in “Lolong,” he embarks on yet another exciting journey in “Black Rider” (BR). The full-action series produced by GMA Public Affairs premieres on Nov. 6, 8 p.m. on the Kapuso network. Get ready for a wild ride with Ruru as BR, who lives life on the fast lane.

Here’s my chat with Ruru:

In what ways can you relate to your character?Just like Elias Guerrero aka BR, I put my family first. I won’t allow anyone or anything to harm them. Love is our common driving force. We’re both goal-oriented. There’s nothing we won’t do to achieve what we want.

Tell us about your martial arts training for BR.

I have always dreamt of being an action star like my idol, Robin Padilla. So even before I joined show biz, I was into muay Thai, yaw-yan and arnis. For BR, I took up kali, which is an authentic Filipino martial arts that uses a knife. It dates back to the time of Lapu-Lapu.

What kind of Ruru will we see in BR compared to “Lolong”?

I make sure to outdo myself in each project. I’m not competitive with my coactors. I only compete with myself. The difference between BR and “Lolong” is that my role now is more physically draining because it’s action-packed. BR is a darker character, but it’s just as lovable.

What has fame taught you?

Fame is a bonus. I’ve come a long, hard way. Nobody believed in me before. So I want my success story to inspire people to reach their full potential. I learned to balance positive and negative comments and not to believe in everything people say. I should not let the praises get to my head because they might make me complacent. Neither should I let bashing affect me because it will make me lose focus on my craft.

‘Sweet venom’ in sexy thriller

Things will get wild, messy and bloody as Angela Morena, Janelle Tee and Gold Aceron delight viewers with the latest sexy thriller. So, get lured in and taste the sweet venom of “Ahasss” (streaming on Vivamax). Directed by Ato Bautista, it’s what you could call a ‘Greedy Hearts Club.”

Here are quotes from Angela (AM), Gold (G) and Ato (A):

AM: My takeaway from our film is that there are “snakes” lurking everywhere, so we have to be cautious even with people whom we think we know well. Everyone has a dark side, so we must protect our space. Self-love wins.

G: I experienced na “inahas” ako (deceived). I just let it be. I didn’t think of revenge. I believe in karma. I just carried on with my life.

A: Our film is not anti-American just because the American in the story is an abusive husband. It just shows what happens sometimes when Americans marry Filipinas for the wrong reasons.

AM: If there will be a “snake,” I will cut ties no matter how close I am to him/her. I know my worth. I don’t deserve two-faced people in my life.

G: Just like the character I played, I did crazy things for love. I made her the center of my world and neglected myself. INQ