"I had so many questions that I couldn’t find answers to," confessed Vhong, 26, separated. "I (day)dreamed big dreams."
His day-dreaming has paid off – beautifully.
He dreamed to be a professional dancer and he did become a member of the dance group Streetboys, organized by director Chito Roño (who manages the group up to now).
He dreamed to be in a sitcom with his idol, Dolphy, and he did become a member of the cast of ABS-CBN’s Home Along da Riles.
He dreamed of starring in his own movie and he’s now starring in not just one but two, Star Cinema’s Mr. Suave and Regal Films’ Gagamboy. Talk about lightning striking the same spot twice.
"I feel like a double winner," gushed Vhong.
Directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal, Mr. Suave is inspired by the popular hit song by Parokya ni Edgar. Vhong plays the title role, a market who may have winning ways with women but whose body turns stiff the moment he gets intimate with any of them. Angelica Jones makes her movie debut as the sexy con artist who cures Vhong’s "ailment" and falls in love with him.
In Gagamboy, a fantasy directed by Erik Matti for the Metro Filmfest next month, Vhong plays a spider-man who fights eveil creatures (among them Ipisman, played by Jay Manalo) who threaten peace-loving folks.
"I have more dreams but these days, being too busy, I have no more time to climb the roof of our house and day-dream some more," said Vhong half-jokingly. "If I do that now that people recognize me, they might think that I’m crazy."
Come to think of it, maybe Maalaala Mo Kaya or Magpakailanman should wait a little more before featuring Vhong’s life story.
"Bitin," said Vhong. "There’s no ending yet. My story has barely started. Marami pang mangyayari."
When did you first hear the song Mr. Suave?
"I heard it first in the song’s music video doon sa MYX. I was excited because I’m a fan of Parokya ni Edgar; I was glad that they had a new song. I found the MTV cute. The song fitted the MTV concept perfectly. Hindi nakakasawa ’yung song. You want to listen to it over and over again. Gusto mong ulit-ulitin. Habang tumatagal, habang inuulit mo, lalong gumaganda."
What was your idea of Mr. Suave based on the song?
"Ma-chicks, habulin ng babae. What is suave to me is somebody who’s cool, who’s not bothered by problems. Happy go lucky. Easy to get along with, easy to approach, easy to deal with. ’Yung magaan dalhin."
How are you similar to Mr. Suave?
"I’m malambing like him – and a gentleman, too."
Are you also habulin ng babae?
"No, I don’t think so. Ako ang humahabol sa kanila."
How do you make diskarte with women?
"When I want to court a girl, I befriend her first. It’s better that way – start as friends."
You make bola-bola?
"Not really. I make her laugh. Making people laugh is natural with me."
What if a girl plays hard-to-get?
"I text her everyday. But I don’t make her feel na gustung-gusto ko siya. You know how women are...When they know that you’re crazy about them, the more they try to play hard-to-get."
Aren’t you the gift-giving type?
"I give gifts only on special occasions. I’m not materialistic, so I never shower a girl with gifts. Besides, wala sa budget ko ’yan. I can’t afford to buy gifts all the time. But I do give gifts – kung talagang kami nang dalawa. I don’t want to win a girl’s heart with gifts but with what I am as a person."
How old were you when you first fell in love?
"I was in high school (at Sta. Clara High School in Pasay City). I was around 13. It lasted for only four months. I knew it was love because we celebrated our ‘anniversary’ every month. If you’re not serious, why would you observe your ‘anniversary’?"
What happened to the girl?
"She must be married now – happily, I hope. I haven’t seen her since graduation."
When was your first heartbreak?
"There have been so many that I can’t even remember the first time. I was always heartbroken especially when I was in high school."
Madalas ka ba mabasted?
"The truth is that takot ako mabasted kaya ayoko manligaw. That’s why I first befriend the girl. Once we are at ease with each other, that’s when I start courting her. Masakit ang mabasted, di ba?"
Was that how you courted – and won – Bianca (Lapus, his ex-wife and mother of his child)?
"Exactly. We started as friends. Kuwentuhan. Tawagan. Until I started visiting her at home. And then, we started going out..."
...And then nagka-baby na kayo.
"In short, ganoon na nga."
In the movie, Mr. Suave gets stiff (the whole body) when he gets intimate with a woman...
"...Hindi ako ganoon."
It’s a two-in-one package for you. Besides Mr. Suave, you’re also playing the title role in Gagamboy (as spider-man), Regal Films’ Metro Filmfest entry. You’re not only Mr. Suave, you’re also Mr. Suwerte.
"Thank you, Lord! I’d like to thank the people who trust me...Mother Lily of Regal, Mom Malou (Santos) of Star Cinema, the press people, my friends who continue to support and, most of all nga, thank you to The Lord."
Para ka namang nanalo ng award at nagdi-deliver ng thank-you speech.
"Playing the title roles in Mr. Suave and Gagamboy feels like winning an award. I can’t express my excitement. It’s unbelievable! It’s like winning the lotto. Ako pa. Of all the talented comedians around, ako ang napili. It’s a big honor, isn’t it? And big luck."
In Gagamboy, the art director daw had a hard time fitting your costume. Why?
"If you notice, my Gagamboy costume is expensive; talagang ginastusan ni Mother Lily. I guess what they were avoiding was to make my kuwan bulge. It might be distracting. Wala kasing padding, e."
How did you prepare for your Gagamboy role?
"I trained in fight routines. And also in stunts. It’s a very physical role. Nakakapagod. In Mr. Suave, what was distracting was my wig and the mustache. It would take a while to put them on. Medyo makati."
Does your being a dancer help in your portrayal of both roles?
"I think so. In comedy kasi, what is fun is not only what you say but also what you do with your body. Dapat graceful, like a dancer. Tito Dolphy, my idol, also started as a dancer, di ba? Many of our great comedians started as dancers, like (the late) Chiquito, (the late) Bayani Casimiro and many others. Like action stars, dapat maganda ang body movement ng isang comedian. They told me that one reason why I was chosen for the Mr. Suave role was my background as a dancer."
Do you also sing?
"Hindi po. Pero ako ang kinakantahan."
Have you always loved dancing since you were a kid?
"From the start pa. When I was in the elementary grades, I would join dance contests in school or sa mga fiesta."
How was your childhood?
"Masayang-malungkot. I grew up alone. I’m a loner. Even if I had playmates, I’d rather be by myself. I would go to the rooftop and there, nagdi-daydream ako. I had so many questions that I couldn’t ask, that I couldn’t find answers to."
Like what questions?
"Like kung bakit nagkahiwalay ang parents ko. What did they quarrel about that led to their separation. Questions like that. I was very small when my parents broke up. But they’re okay now. They’re divorced. My mom is in L.A. with her new family and my father is here, also with his own new family. I was the only child from their first marriage. I have a stepbrother and a stepsister on my father side; pero sa mother side, wala. My father used to work at Liwayway magazine, head of the stripping department. He’s retired now."
Did you have an unhappy childhood?
"In a way, but not completely. My parents’ separation had a great impact on my life. Instead of being bitter, however, it made me even stronger, lalo akong naging mas matatag. I didn’t let their separation affect me in a negative way; I looked at it as a challenge for me to strive and do better. I never took sides. What I did was try to understand both their sides so it wouldn’t happen to me."
But it did. You and Bianca have also broken up. (They were married in civil rites.)
"’Yon na nga, e!"
Is Vhong Navarro your real name?
"My full name is Ferdinand Bongbong Navarro. My mother’s name is Imelda. My father’s name is Danilo."
How did you get into Streetboys?
"I auditioned like the rest of the members. We were trained for three months. I’m an original Streetboy (along with, among others, Danilo Barrios, Jhong Hilario and Spencer Reyes who have also joined the movies; Spencer has quit the Streetboys). I’ve been with Streetboys for 10 years now."
With your parents having their respective new families, are you, in a sense, on a solo flight?
"What do you mean ‘solo flight’?"
I mean, are you living by yourself... independently?
"No. I’m still living with my father and his (new) family. We’re living in the same house that I bought for them."
Wow, what a good son. No wonder you have good karma. I think your having been chosen for Mr. Suave and Gagamboy is part of your good karma. You started doing bit roles as alalay (factotum/sidekick) of big stars, didn’t you?
"I started as an extra. I got my break as a ‘supporting’ actor in Regal Films, in Anghel dela Guardia where I played the sidekick of Jeric Raval. And then I played the sidekick of Robin Padilla in (Star Cinema’s) Oops, Teka Lang and of Rico Yan in Got 2 Believe. And then I did sitcoms, in one of them (Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis) as the sidekick of Cesar Montano. I was also with Tito Dolphy in his movie, (Star Cinema’s) Daddy-O, Baby-O, and in his (ABS-CBN) sitcom Home Along da Riles. Tito Dolphy is my idol."
What do you like about Dolphy?
"We have similarities. As I’ve said, he also started as a dancer. I like the way he delivers punchlines. Suave at talagang nakakatawa."
What about among foreign comedians?
"I like Jim Carrey. He’s also a dancer, isn’t he? Very graceful ang movements niya. He can do wonders with his face."
What is your favorite comedy film?
"I have two, Ace Ventura Pet Detective and Liar Liar, both starring Jim Carrey."
What pointers do you get from Dolphy?
"I get them by simply watching him work. He goes over the script once and then he calls for a ‘take.’ Perfect! Sometimes, tinatanong ko kung bakit ang mga comedians ay lapitin ng mga babae and he’d say jokingly, ‘Kasi malaki ang ____ ko.’ Of course, he’s only joking. But that’s the kind of person that Tito Dolphy is. Very candid. Walang malisya."
Any other (local) comedians you get pointers from?
"There’s also Tito Redford (White). We were together in the TV show Super Laugh-In. Marami akong tanong na nasagot niya. I’ll never forget what he told me, ‘Huwag kang magpapatawa. Hayaan mong sila ang matawa sa’yo. Be natural.’ I always bear that in mind."
When did you discover that you could make people laugh?
"It was direk Chito who actually discovered my being a comedian. Ako kasi, I’m basically makulit even when I was in high school. I guess na-develop ako as a comedian sa Streetboys. In the group, I’m the thinnest, pinaka-payat, so when we’re changing clothes kunwari nagpapalakihan kami ng katawan. That’s how it all started. Then, direk Chito asked me to audition for (the ABS-CBN sitcom) Super Laugh-In. I passed naman."
How are you naman off-camera?
"I’m serious. As I’ve said, I’m a loner. I’m quiet when I’m alone."
And how are you as father (to Isaiah, turning 5)?
(Hesitates) "I’m in the adjustment process. Isaiah is with me on weekends and I’m trying to arrange my schedule so I can spend more time with him. I’m busy (with tapings/shootings) so hindi ko siya naipapasyal lagi. But I promise to make up for it. But I provide for him. I pay for his tuition fee and for all his needs. Okay din naman kami ni Bianca (Who has broken up with boyfriend Zed Carrion to try her luck in Hollywood. – RFL).
What’s your saddest experience?
"Aside from my parents’ break-up? ’Yung paghihiwalay namin ni Bianca. I thought that what happened to my parents’ marriage wouldn’t happen to me. It’s sad."
Why did you and Bianca break up?
"It’s a long story. Let’s just say that it isn’t advisable to get married young. We were too young to get married."
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
"One, that Isaiah would finish college. He can be anything that he wants to be in the same way that my father left me to pursue what I wanted to be. Two, that Mr. Suave and Gagamboy will live up to the expectation of the public. And three, that my families (father’s side and mother’s side) will stay intact for long."
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)