Euwenn Mikael Aleta and Joel Torre in a scene from “Lolo and the Kid.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix Philippines
Portraying the love between a grandfather and child in the film “Lolo and the Kid” was “remarkable” for Joel Torre and Euwenn Mikael Aleta, as it was an experience that reminded the young actor that they’re “great people.”
The film centers around the elderly Mario (Torre) and Kid (Aleta) who run around town scamming people in Manila. They maintain a strong relationship through the years, but a life-changing opportunity for Kid puts their inseparable bond in danger. Aside from the leads, it also stars Juan Karlos Labajo, Iza Calzado, Meryll Soriano, and Joem Bascon.
Despite coming from different generations, Torre and Aleta didn’t have a hard time portraying the magical relationship between a grandfather and a grandchild. It was also an experience that gave a closer glimpse into their on- and off-screen personalities, developing a strong bond between them.
“[I realized] that we are both great people,” Aleta told reporters at a roundtable in Makati. “I thought when you’re a veteran in the industry, you will be arrogant because you’ve been in the industry for a long time. But Tito Joel is kind.”
Torre said in response, “Ang bata hindi nagsisinungaling (a child doesn’t lie).” He then turned serious, touching on Aleta’s professionalism despite his young age.
“It was wonderful. I know of Euwenn but it’s our first time working together. Instantaneously, I know this boy is a boy wonder. He’s very in demand,” said Torre. The screen veteran recalled a moment when Aleta pushed forward in filming his scenes even though he came from a different project.
“We were shooting and he lacked sleep because he came from another project. But he is very professional. For such a boy at his age to be working that hard is something remarkable for me,” he said.
Bringing love onscreen
Portraying love onscreen is easy. Developing love beyond the screen, however, is a challenge, knowing it’s an actor’s job to do so. But for Torre, showing love to Aleta just because the young actor is his onscreen grandson is somehow disrespectful to him.
“It’s irreverent to [simply think] of love because he’s my [onscreen] grandson. Love happens because you love them. Your best friend could be someone you love. There’s no gap. For me, it’s simply because you love them. I don’t consider [Euwenn] as a kid. I consider him as a human being,” he said.
For his part, Aleta said he considers Torre as his own grandfather. “It’s like he’s my lolo.”
“He makes me happy and I make him happy,” continued Aleta. “I felt the love because I felt the joy between us.”
Touching on the film’s theme of familial love, Torre said it’s a “relatable” topic to every viewer although he noted that the kind of love given to a family member depends on the person itself.
“Everyone has a family. But the degree of love is up to you. I think at the end of the day, you ask yourself — how was my relationship with the people I love? Do they return the love to you? What is the most important thing? For me, it’s your feelings, relationships, and impact you give to other people,” he said.
A grandparent and apo
Even though Mario and Kid are not related in the film, the bond between their characters is evident, even reaching the point where Mario shows up at his “grandchild’s” big moments.
“The relationship between a grandparent and their apo is different. If ever I had a grandchild, I would spoil him. I see it in my parents and kids. It’s different when you have an apo,” Torre said when asked about the love between a grandparent and a grandchild.
During the interview, Torre said he hopes everyone will reach the stage where they will be a grandparent in the future. “I hope we get to that stage where I have a grandchild, so I would see how great of that love is,” he said.
“The grandparents are there to spoil their grandchildren. Who cares about my kids? I have my grandkids anyway,” he added in jest, making everyone laugh.
Aleta, on the other hand, said he realized that grandparents are eager to have grandchildren since it reminds them of their own children when they were young. He also reflected that some parents might not have been present for them.
“Lolos and lolas want to have children because they want to have grandchildren. But lolos and lolas want to have grandchildren because they saw their own kids in them when they were young. It’s like they miss them. They realize what they should’ve done with their kids back then,” he said.