WEDNESDAY
ANYONE will who h knows k remember
And while Carlo had steadily pursued his career since that pivotal dramatic project—where his young teenage character is made to choose between his mother and absentee father ( Ariel Rivera)— it is surprising for a certain generation to believe he is now 32 years old and a romantic leading man at that. The T-Zone may even remember a three-way boy group that had Carlo as lead singer, along with John Prats and Stefano Mori in the ‘90s!
Millennials, though, already know Carlo as part of the four-way psycho-thriller love story, “The Better Half,” with Shaina Magdayao, JC de Vera and Denise Laurel, which captivated afternoon soap addicts on ABS-CBN in 2017. For them, it is but natural to see his name beside Bela Padilla’s as coheadliner of Spring Films and Viva Films’ new glossy title, “Meet Me in St. Gallen.”
Ask Carlo what he thinks of his lover boy status on screen and he will say, “Never kongnaisipna magiging romantic lead ako kasi karamihanngmgaginagawako mga indies, atyungiba supporting roles akopalagi!Ito , romanticdrama na,akopaangbida!”
Poking fun at himself, Carlo admitted at St. Gallen’s grand press conference he isn’t heartthrob material. Looking stylish in a burgundy blazer over a crisp white button-down shirt, in Carlo his h or Aquino her h as he laughingly added, “Hindikasiako ganitoatsanaynanag-aayos. White tshirt, maong and rubber shoes lang talagaako, so kabilang itosa adjustment. Kayanga kinakabahanakoeh!”
B e yo n d the image, however, Carlo said he is grateful that producers Piolo Pascual and Joyce Bernal of Spring Films, as well as partner company Viva, have given him the opportunity to tackle a completely different role and trust him enough to take the lead. After all, since sweeping the Best Child Actor Award across Philippine Cinema’s Aquino teams up with Bela Padilla 'Meet Me in St. Gallen' award giving bodies for “Bata, Bata,” critics have long believed Carlo’s talent to be hugely underrated.
“I feel pressured, of course, pero although na-te-tensiyonako, I’m happy saakinnapuntaangroleni Jesse [for St. Gallen] kasi challenging siya.Mahiligakoritosa music, kumanta,peroanggustong dad ko (Nonie Buencamino) mag-doktor ako. Then I meet Celeste (Bella) na kare- resign langsatrabaho and we talk seriously about our lives. May koneksiyonagad between us.”
Filling in details about the plot, St. Gallen writer and director Irene Villamor (“Camp Sawi”) said, “This movie is about the special connection shared by two people when they’re both in a bad place. They feel something that night but go their separate ways and only meet again years apart, two other times. Each time, they ask each other the same question, ‘What do we do now?’, uncertain if their experiences in between have changed them or that connection they felt on Day 1.”
- lights the importance of actual human interaction in the age of “Facebook friends.”
“Sapanahonngayon,napakaimportanteng human connection kasimasmararamdamanmo ang sincerity ngisangtaokapag kaharapmo,kausapmo.Lalona ngayonnausong-usoang social media. Iyonangipinararatingng pelikulanamin,” rejoined Carlo.
Finally, Philippine cinema’s newest leading man pointed to the snow-covered setting of Switzerland’s St. Gallen as another major highlight of the movie, not only for intensifying emotions in the romantic-drama but for his unforgettable experience shooting there.
“Sobrangna- enjoy koyung snow!” he laughed at himself again. “Naisipkonga,paraakongnagbalik sapagkabata.Noongkinunandin naminsiya last year, I also enjoyed their Christmas village—very scenic and cinematic siya,magandasamata. Pagna- experience mosiya,ibayung feeling atmai- inspire katalaga.”
As such, hopes are high that Carlo has turned in an inspired performance in Meet Me in St. the movie has given him at this point in his career. Judgement day is today with the movie opening in cinemas across the country.