Is he or isn’t he?
That quiet, that is.
Ask him, for instance, about the recycled rumor that he and wife Lorna Tolentino (mother of Rudy’s two sons, Renz and Rap-Rap) have separated – you know, sleeping in separate beds but still living under one roof – and Rudy will only smile and blush and give a, you guessed it, "no comment."
He also only dismisses the rumor linking him to Rufa Mae Quinto with a shrug and again with a "no comment." Rufa Mae is his leading lady (a fortune-teller/psychic, inspired by Madame Auring, to Rudy’s undercover-cop character) in Hula Mo, Huli Ko, a production of Rudy and Lorna’s own company, Reflection Films, and an official entry to the 2002 Metro Filmfest.
Is he or isn’t he?
That tounge-tied, that is.
It’s a challenge for any movie writer (this one included) to squeeze anything juicy out of Rudy but you can always try.
And Conversations did, using another tack.
To find out if Rudy "is or isn’t," Conversations drew up a set of "Are you?" questions. Here’s how Rudy fared:
Are you superstitious?
"Not quite... hindi! Sometimes, I tend to follow what most local showbiz folk believe in, such as not eating peanuts on the set otherwise your movie might not make money at the box office or making sure that the title of your movie and/or your screen name should end in ‘oro’ – you know, oro, plata, mata – and never on ‘mata’. You won’t lose anything kung sumunod ka, di ba?"
Are you short-tempered?
"No, I’m extremely patient; mahaba ang pasensya ko. But the moment I blow my top, there must be more than enough reason; it means na naubos na talaga ang pasensya ko."
Are you God-fearing?
"Yes, I am. Yes, of course! I believe in God, I go to church as often as I can."
Are you faithful?
"To my wife? Yes, I am. I’m always faithful to...to... to... my wife." (Followed by laughter)
Are you onion-skinned?
"Balat-sibuyas? Well, sometimes. It depends on the situation. There are times when you get easily pikon. Otherwise, okay ako. Game ako."
Are you generous?
"I think so. Over-generous pa nga most of the time."
Are you a true friend?
"I believe so. I’m a true friend sa hirap at ginhawa. All the way. I’m not a fair-weather friend. What will I do for a friend? I can take a bullet for him."
Are you transparent?
"Yes, I am – very! But I can also put up a front if necessary. Otherwise, I’m very transparent. You can easily tell if I am sad or angry or happy. You can even feel it. Pero kaya ko rin mag-pretend. On what occasion do I have to pretend? If I’m sad and I’m not supposed to show it. Then I pretend to be happy."
Are you prayerful?
"Hmmmmmm...medyo. But maybe not as prayerful as some people whom you find in church all the time. I pray anywhere, not necessarily in church. I pray all the time but usually before going to sleep. You can never tell, you know. You might not wake up the next morning. Baka pagtulog mo hindi ka na magising, e. Especially when you feel you’re in danger, di ba the first thing you do is pray to God?"
Are you gullible?
"Not so."
Are you a sucker (for sob stories)?
"Hmmmmmmmm. Kung minsan, I just let it go to get it over with. Pinalulusot ko na lang. But it doesn’t mean that I’m a sucker, ha? Pinagbibigyan ko na lang, for the sake of..."
Are you easily turned on by sexy women?
"I’m a man and I’m just normal, so what do you think? I get turned on but not to the extent of being carried away. Mahirap na, di ba? What part of a woman’s body do I find irresistible? Not a single part, actually, but her totality as a woman. Pero kadalasan, the eyes... the smile... how she carries herself."
Are you good in bed?
"Well, it’s not for me to say." (Asked jokingly who Conversations should ask, Rudy laughed. "Ask the past and the present." – RFL)
Are you competition-conscious?
"Hmmmmmmm...sometimes. I size up the situation... You don’t even think about it, you just feel that you have to compete. Like when you do a movie, you consider kung sino or what movie ang makakatapat mo sa playdate and that’s when you become competitive and you make sure that if the competition is good, you do even better. I’m competition-conscious in that case and in that sense."
Are you good at telling a lie?
"I seldom tell a lie kaya when I do, palagay ko lusot. I’m a truthful person. I tell a (white) lie very, very rarely. As I’ve said, I’m very transparent kaya halata if I tell a lie."
Are you a loner?
"Not really. Although I enjoy being alone... sometimes. But always, even if I’m alone, I’m forever talking to somebody on my cellphone. When I’m alone, I do somethinking, pero hindi naman loner ang dating. I can stay home the whole day na walang kausap, okay lang. The next day naman, I’m sure to be out of the house – the whole day."
Are you optimistic about the country?
"Well, I’m trying my best to be optimistic... Sana things will change for the better. Sana."
Are you a good husband?
"I think so. Palagay ko naman. Why do I think so? Well, hindi ko naman pinasasama ang loob ng asawa ko. I don’t give her any reason to worry. I’m obedient to her."
Are you a good father?
"Good father? Well, I’m trying my best to be. Do I spoil our kids? No, I don’t. I don’t give them everything that they ask for; I want them to work for whatever they’re asking for, para matuto sila ng value of hard work. Neither am I lax. Do I believe in the saying ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child?’ No, I don’t. I believe in having constant communication with them. That’s important."
Are you a long-range planner?
"Yes, I am. But things change a lot along the way, as you go along. But it pays to plan."
Are you patient?
"I am. As I’ve said, mahaba ang pasensya ko. On the set, even if my scenes are not shot maghapon magdamag, it’s fine with me. Part of the job."
Are you hard to please?
"Not at all. Mababaw ang kaligayahan ko. What makes me happy? Small things. I appreciate little things. ’Yung maliit na efforts, malaking bagay sa akin ’yon."
Are you aggressive?
"It depends on the situation. If I have to be aggressive, then nagiging aggressive ako. If I want something, kapag may gusto akong makuha, I become very aggressive."
Are you a cleanliness freak?
"I take a bath twice or thrice a day depending on my schedule for the day. But I never let a day pass without taking a bath even if I’m just at home. Gusto ko lang palagi akong clean, feeling clean. The moment I feel somewhat sticky, kapag malagkit na ang pakiramdam ko, I quickly take a bath."
Are you a spendthrift?
"I’m not a good handler of money. It’s as if palaging kulang ang pera ko, I always run out of money."
Are you quick to tell the motives of people around you?
"I’m not judgmental pero malakas ang kutob ko. I can tell what the ulterior motives of people around me are. I give people leeway. Even if I know that a person is out only to take advantage of me, I still give him leeway."
Are you a light sleeper?
"I am. I wake up even if there’s mild sound around me. Mababaw akong matulog. How many hours of sleep do I get a day? At least seven or eight. If I get less than six hours of sleep, medyo bitin ako."
Are you diet-conscious?
"Yes. I avoid oily food, ’yung food na masyadong ma-cholesterol. Fats are a no-no to me. Give me fruits and vegetables anytime. Rice? Only very little. And a little soup. Just a little. I’m not fond of soups."
Are you romantic?
"I am. My idea of a romantic evening ay ’yung may candle light, mayroong love song, painom-inom ng konti. And then, well, what do you think happens next?"
Are you hypochondriac?
"No. I never over-react. Even if there are symptoms already, I refuse to think that I’m sick. But when my body talks, I listen. When I feel pain, I go to the doctor. But sometimes, if my doctor tells me something, kung minsan kinokontra ko pa, e."
Are you a fighter?
"I am. In this world, you have to be. The world loves a fighting man."
Are you secure of yourself?
"Yes, I am."
Are you happy?
"Yes... very! I’m basically a happy person. I am happy with myself, I’m happy with my life, I’m happy with my family, I’m happy with my career. Haping-hapi ako."