Sid's acting policy

Honesty is Sid Lucero’s policy in acting. That’s why many remember his performance more than his good looks on TV or in film. It is the same impression the elder Eigenmanns and cousin Ryan get from the public. Sid doesn’t have to look the part because it is innate in him to act.

“None of us can be compared to each other, except Ryan and me,” the Great Taste Trio endorser reacts to observations that he and Ryan have the so-called actor’s built. “Maybe the reason why people think that way is because Ryan’s career and mine are likely the same — (we play) the character actor part. We almost have the same path. I wouldn’t say I’m more passionate or I’m more masipag.”

“Let’s say it like this,” he adds. “They were in the industry first. Everything they learned I leaned through them. Plus the fact that I came in last. I have my own things to add to that. Maybe that’s the only reason why. I’ve watched them make their mistakes. I’ve seen them do their jobs. I’ve seen them, you know, rise and at the same time stumble and the reasons behind that. I take down those notes and learn from their mistakes.”

Do looks get in the way of acting?

“I think it gets in the way with the choice of roles (one does) in this country,” Sid answers. “In fact, there are many times, I said, ‘Are you sure you’re gonna get me for this? I think this guy is more bagay (for the role). For example those Filipinos make it big here because they made it abroad. You will notice they don’t fit the profile of what’s physically attractive in this country. It is supposed be talent, not your looks. I don’t understand why they base (roles) on looks.”

The Selda and Dahil May Isang Ikaw star thinks actors in European or British cinema don’t fit the universal norm of what is beautiful. They land roles because of their brilliance not because of their clean-shaven looks. Thus, Sid either attends an acting workshop or works behind-the-scenes between projects.

Asked what actors do when they experience the counterpart of writer’s block or feel that the role is inaccessible, Sid answers, “I have the first-day jitters all the time. No matter how many storycons we have as long as we haven’t shot the first day, I really don’t know what I’m doing. I really have to have that one day to understand what the director wants and to basically understand the language we are supposed to be having on the set. Once we get the language, tuloy-tuloy na. I don’t know how to translate writer’s block to acting. There are times when I feel I’m fooling myself and am I really supposed to be doing this?. There are times when… especially TV, it so harsh, you don’t have the proper arch. You only have the beginning. You don’t know where you wanna go. How are you supposed to get into your role before shooting if you don’t know where you wanna go?. It is different from movies which is easier to work on your character. I think the best way to cope with that is to be as honest as possible.”

Perhaps, it is part of Sid’s way of approaching each role to create the character’s world or reality.

“I think everyone has his own method,” he says. “The last movie we did, we were teasing this guy that he was a method actor. He had this shackles on. I don’t believe in one kind of acting anymore. You can put them together and build your own. You create your own style. At least that’s my opinion. You (can do) Eric Morris, (Konstantin) Stanislavsky. For me, you mix it. You take the best of both worlds and put them together. And you make it your own. What’s most important is to be honest.”

Sid, on the other hand, shows his vibrant personality in the Great Taste TVC. He is seen relaxing in his pad, doing longboard tricks and enjoying his coffee.

Below, Sid describes how his typical day goes on and off sound stage:

Morning — If the call time is 7 a.m., I have to be out of the house by six. I have to ask my yaya for coffee. As soon as I wake up, I go straight to the shower. Then head to the car. I don’t eat breakfast.

I have to read the script the night before. At least, I have to sleep on it. If not, it won’t stick. There are times when we go to the set and we have the script. Sometimes, we don’t have it.

Mid-day — I have my lunch on the set. I love eating. The more unhealthy (the food) is, the better. Tokwa’t baboy every midnight. For film, we shoot an average of six to 15 sequences. We have gone to 60 for TV. We work until the following day. After, I go home, sleep and wake up.

Free-day — Normally, I wake up at around 4 p.m. I have a hard time sleeping. Funny thing is I can sleep anywhere on the set. I don’t know why. Maybe it is part of the process of conserving energy for the rest of the day. I have a hard time sleeping (at home). I can go on for five days without sleep.

I watch movies — all kinds of movies. There are phases. Now I’m in the phase of easy-to-watch, fun-to-watch movies in Blu-ray. I have a phase watching Asian cinema especially Korean films. It’s only now that I have channels. It’s always movies, movies, movies. Now that I haven’t been watching movies. It’s all jam, jam, jam with friends.

In the evening, we watch gigs. We go gig hunting.