What Cinemalaya Baby Arnold Reyes lost for Kasal

Did you know that a love scene (with another actor, that is) is harder to do than any other scene?

Ask Arnold Reyes  who has done it and is doing it again in Kasal, a Cinemalaya X entry directed by Jay Altarejos, with Oliver Aquino, now 23, who was using the first name Mico during his Anime days with Rayver Cruz.

“Honestly, ang nakakakabang gawin ay love scenes, whether with an actress and especially with another actor,” admitted Arnold. “Even if I’ve done it before, every time I do it again, kinakabahan pa rin ako.”

Before the shoot for his love scene with Oliver, Kasal director Jay (screenplay is by Zig Dulay) put his actors “in the right mood” by letting them watch the Cannes-acclaimed film, Blue is the Warmest Color which has explicit sex scenes between a boy and a girl, and a girl and another girl.

Like what Hollywood actors do (Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables, et al), Arnold sees to it that he looks physically fit especially in his love scenes, so he has to starve himself for the second time, the first having been for Isang Tag-Araw sa Buhay ni Twinkle, an indie directed by Gil M. Portes in which he played a cancer-patient father of Ellen Adarna.

It seems that going au naturel has become SOP in Arnold’s indie outings. In Imoral, an indie directed by Adolf Alix Jr., Arnold had several love scenes with Paolo Paraiso as his lover of seven years, with whom he formed as ménage a trois with Paolo’s girlfriend. Again, in Muli (also directed by Adolf), it was Sid Lucero’s turn to be bedded by Arnold.

“Do we get carried away in those scenes? Not really,” assured Arnold. “In fact, we usually laugh about it. After doing our love scenes in Muli, Sid was even joking, ‘Why am I enjoying this?’ He was laughing and laughing maybe because he’s secure with his sexuality,” adding seriously, “’yon ang masarap ka-trabaho, ‘yung ang partner mo true actor na talagang dedicated to his craft.”

Now as lovers in Kasal, Arnold as a closet-gay lawyer who handles annulment cases and Oliver as “out and out” indie/commercial director tackle the usual issues that hound same-sex relationship — unreasonable jealousy, possessiveness, suspicion that borders on paranoia, whatever.

“I’m doing the love scene in the nude, again, without any protective plaster if you know what I mean,” said Arnold. “It’s a long scene at medyo very torrid, so nakakahiya naman kung hindi maganda ang katawan ko. When I gain weight, it’s my tummy that grows big fast.”

For Twinkle, Arnold succeeded in looking haggard and deathly thin after shedding 30 pounds (from 150 to 120) by cutting his food intake, taking very small meals every two hours. But he immediately regained weight which he maintained at 130 lbs. which is perfect for his height. And yet, Arnold decided to lose a few more pounds again for Kasal.

“I’m determined to sustain my present weight for health reasons,” disclosed Arnold. “I’m careful because my mother died of kidney complications from diabetes so I’m watching by sugar/carbs intake. When one of your parents is diabetic, di ba you are prone to inherit the disease? Sabi ng Tatay namin, ‘O, mag-ingat na kayo. Kung ano ang bawal sa Nanay n’yo, huwag n’yong kainin.’ I make sure that I have regular executive check-up.”

Not many people probably know that Arnold is a Cinemalaya Baby because he has grown with it, having his first entry (Big Time, as the young Michael de Mesa) in 2004 when the anticipated annual event started. In 2009, Arnold brought home the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in Astig, GB Sampedro’s film-directorial debut produced by Noel Ferrer, in which Arnold played a member of a family selling its properties but ended up selling his body.

“In a way, I am a Cinemalaya mainstay,” Arnold proudly reminded me, “and I am proud of it,” perhaps even more so than any of the mainstream movies or a few TV shows he has done. “When you mention Cinemalaya, what comes to mind is ‘quality,’ kaya nakakataba ng puso na kasali ka, di ba? But I must point out that I am happy with She’s Dating the Gangster (the hit KathNiel starrer). For a change,” he added with a laugh, “wholesome ang role ko in the movie.”

Entered in the Directors Showcase of Cinemalaya X (you can watch the entries in Trinoma, CCP, Alabang Town Center, Greenbelt and Fairview Terraces), Kasal is up against stiff competition including   Hustisya (directed by Joel Lamangan), Hari ng Tondo (by Carlitos Siguion-Reyna), The Janitor (by Michael Tuviera) and Asintado (by Louie Ignacio).

Will Arnold repeat his 2009 Astig victory?

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” said Arnold.

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