Leaner Aga Muhlach on comeback trail
Nag-start naman ako magdyeta-dyeta rin, pero ako kasi nagda-diet ako (ng seryoso) if I’m pushed against the wall.
'Nag-start naman ako magdyeta-dyeta rin, pero ako kasi nagda-diet ako (ng seryoso) if I’m pushed against the wall.'
After an absence of six years, Aga Muhlach is back for good in acting.
“Now, I’m all set. I’m back. I’m just 10 pounds from my old, old weight. I lost almost 30 pounds already. November I will start for my new film again,” he said in an interview for “Seven Sundays,” a Star Cinema film which opened in theaters yesterday. “Naka-line-up na ako, meron na akong tatlong (movies) na gagawin,” he added.
Is a reunion movie with “Sana Maulit Muli” co-star Lea Salonga one of those?
Aga seemingly brushed off the question but he said that what matters is he does a good film with the former “Miss Saigon” star.
“Sa akin naman kasi, it’s the project more than the casting. Even if it’s an AgaLea, if the project is not nice, ay sayang
lang. If we’re gonna do a movie together it should be more than ‘Sana Maulit Muli’ (level),” he said.
Doing a movie with Lea soon is not possible as “kunwari kahit may script
ngayon, she’s in New York now. She’s coming back May pa. So, wala rin. But we’re working on it, we will see. It’s gonna be a surprise. If it happens, it happens.”
Aga unabashedly admitted the reason for the delay of his movie comeback.
“It’s my being overweight,” he declared. “I struggled for many years losing weight because nagpahinga talaga ako. Every year na may nag-o-offer sa’kin ng love story, parang hindi ko kaya. Parang hindi ako puwedeng lumabas na leading man na ganito’ng itsura ko, dahil hindi ko gagawin ’yun.”
It took “Seven Days” for Aga to finally decide on making a comeback as it doesn’t require him to have that matinee idol and glam look.
As the son of Ronaldo Valdez busy running a grocery with his wife played by Donita Rose, there was no physical requirement at all. “When the film was offered sa akin,
sinabi sa akin na ‘You don’t have to lose weight. You’re okay. But if you want to diet along the way, then go ahead, but the character doesn’t ask for that,’” he related.
“Of course, nag-start naman ako mag-dyeta-dyeta rin, pero ako kasi nagda-diet ako (ng seryoso) if I’m pushed against the wall. If you really watch the movie, makikita mo talaga, eksakto, maputing buhok, malaki ang tiyan. Parang napag-iwanan talaga na nasa probinsiya,” he said of his role. Aga worked hard to get to his weight now. “It’s really hard work. It’s really just eating right and exercise talaga, parang ’yung dati kong ginagawa. Kasi dati hindi lang ako makapagpapayat kasi nagpahinga lang talaga ako. All my life I’ve been thick and thin, siyempre, napapagod lang.” “Basta may tamang kain lang. So, bawas ng fat tapos ensayo lang. I workout everyday. I started mga three months ago,” he said.
Now that he’s gone back to making movies, will the star of “Okidokidok” start his own soap opera soon, we asked.
“It’s the same. Ang TV ko naman was
just doing sitcoms before. Pelikula lang naman ang gusto kong gawin. Eto lang, tuloy-tuloy lang. Before I want to do one film every two years. Naka-line-up na ako, meron na akong tatlong (movies) na gagawin,” he said. “Hindi, sinasabi ko nga sa kanya (director Cathy Garcia-Molina), ‘Direk, ngayon na nakasama kita, gagawa ako ng teleserye ikaw ang director.’” There’s a caveat, though. “Pero ang gusto ko (sa) Baguio, pareho kami ni Enrique (Gil) para malamig. Ayokong pawisan. Parang kahit puyat
kami, masarap matulog,” he said. Aga was referring to the 2014 “Forevermore” soap of Enrique and Liza Soberano which was taped in Baguio City.
The former matinee idol related how it was like working with a new set of cast in “Seven Sundays.”
“After an absence of six years in the movie industry, that alone is what made it really nice. And then coming to the set… first time kong makatrabaho si Dingdong (Dantes), si direk Cathy (Garcia-Molina), si Cristine (Reyes), si Enrique (Gil) so
kinakabahan din ako although nu’ng in
offer sa akin ito, nu’ng sinabi ang mga pangalan nila ay nag-backtrack muna ako, nag-research muna ako. Alam ko namang wala silang…mababait na tao sila. Na-confirm ito nu’ng nag-shoot kami, talagang nag-click kami. So it was one of the best experiences also para sa akin. It made it easy for me, they made it easy for me ’yung suporta na binibigay nila sa akin lalo na si direk
Cathy. Masayang-masaya ako sa madaling sabi na ito ang naging resulta ng pelikula namin,” he shared.
As the movie is about relationships and impending death, Aga gave his take on the subjects.
On death, he said, “Nakahanda ako doon. Sana mas mahaba (ang buhay ko) para makita ko ang mga anak ko na magsilakihan pa. But I know, if it’s my time, and when it comes, parang ganoon, eh. Siguro sa likod na ito ako ’yung anak na in denial. Alam mo ’yung, ’di ba merong iba dalang-dala. Ako ’yung tipong ‘Okay lang ’yan.’ Hindi pa ako nagrereact, eh, wala akong ganoon.”
As a father, Aga believes that instead of merely giving help, one should “teach a man to fish,” so to speak.
“Alam nila, wala silang makukuha sa aming magulang nila na material. Sa pag-aral nila hanggang sa pagsolo nila, kung ano ’yung kaya nila, doon sila mamumuhay. Kumbaga, kung bedspacer lang sila or kung apartment
or condo or flat or kung anuman ’yan, saan mang bahagi ng mundo walang problema doon. Sabi ko ang saya hindi galing sa material. Tingin ko alam na naman nila ’yan,” he said on the kind of father he is to daughter Atasha and son Andres.
“Kapag namatay ako, siyempre lahat ng meron ako mapupunta sa kanila. Pero wala akong tinatrabaho para sa kanila. Para sa amin ito, nasa amin
sila, magkakasama kami. Pero kapag matatanda na sila, they have to fend for themselves. Kasi ako rin naman, ako rin ang gumapang para sa sarili ko. Sabi nga, bigyan mo ng pamingwit, ’wag mong bigyan ng isda,” he added. As an actor, fatherhood as well as age changed Aga’s perspective in life. “Hindi lang fatherhood but I think it is age also. Iba ’yung bata ka na umaarte ka dahil ang dami mong reklamo sa set. As I got older, at the
end of the day, it’s a job. Parati kong sinasabi, kahit ’yung maliliit na tao, ’yung crew, nakikita mo ang pagod nila tapos heto lang ang suweldo nila so parang sinasabi ko ano ang karapatan nating magreklamo kung napapagod na tayo samantalang itong mga ito, magkano lang ang suweldo, bago kami dumating sa set, nakaupo kami sa tent tapos sila nakabilad sa araw. Pagod na pagod sila tapos ang suweldo sa kanila ay pantawid (gutom) lang. Isang bagay ’yon na parang mas dapat kong mahalin ang trabaho ko, ’wag kong personalin, gawin ko lang ang dapat kong gawin, ’yung ini-expect
sa akin ng producer, director at kasama kong artista,” he said. As his first-time director, he learned a few things from Cathy Garcia-Molina.
“Nu’ng nakasama ko siya, kaya kong sabihin na mali ang sinasabi nila (about
her) nu’ng una. Hindi, mabiro siya sa set. Alam na ng tao na ’yung mura niya is just
nothing, nothing personal, wala lang. “Masaya siya, magaling siyang katrabaho, magaling siyang director dahil kapag umarte ka, kahit pakiramdam mong tama ka hihingin niya ’yung nakikita niyang dapat. So puwede mong sabihin sa kanya kung ano ang nararamdaman mo na dapat mong gawin (at) pagbibigyan ka niya doon pero meron siya. ‘Ito naman ang akin, Aga. Gawin mo naman ito.’ At ‘pag ginawa mo naman, tama. Or minsan, kapag nag-aalangan ka, then you just trust your director. “Kasi at the end of the day ay siya ang bumubuo ng pelikula. Artista lang kami na umaarte. Siya talaga ang magbubuo, eh. Ganyan talaga, kahit saang pelikula.”