Andre keeps it wholesome

MANILA, Philippines - With his towering height and mestizo good looks, it’s not difficult for Andre Paras to showcase his sexy side and join the league of celebrity hunks. But it looks like Andre is enjoying the idea of being wholesome and, more often, with a loveteam to boot.

You see, he was paired with Yassi Pressman in movies. He teamed up with Barbie Forteza in a drama series that led fans to coining the uni-name AnBie. Now, televiewers will see Andre with new screen partner, Mikee Quintos, on GMA 7’s Usapang Real Love Presents Perfect Fit for four Sundays beginning today after GMA Blockbusters.

“For me, the target audience is the kids; the youth in general, and my acting appeals to them so I am happy to say that I could be one of the artists that kids can look up to,” said Andre on portraying comedy and kilig roles during the pocket interview held Tuesday. “At the same time, the parents can tell their kids that I can be a role model to them.”

It feels good, Andre added, to hear parents tell him that their children watch his shows because of his being funny on-cam and simple off-cam. “That’s why I want to have an image muna na role model, someone whom kids can emulate.”

But he is not closing his doors on the possibility of portraying mature roles. “When the time comes that I can go to the gym and all, maybe I can level up to another role like action star level. As of now, entertaining the youth gives me a different high. Some may think that it’s easy but it’s not since the kids may or may not get the message you are trying to send so when they easily understand naman, I feel I am doing my thing right. As of now, I am focused on this kind of role.”

At one point, Andre stressed that he has nothing against those who took a bold step to beef up their career. He believes that anyone can do what he or she thinks would be best to reach stardom. “I never thought of something about others. They can go to the gym and have an instant endorsement. They can do it; it’s easy to be a sexy person but what if they all go to that direction? Ako lang ang naiwan dito (wholesome image) then akin pa rin ang mga bata — their attention — and so I get to entertain and at the same time reach out to them.”

Besides, at home, he can make his little brothers laugh so easily “that’s why it’s cool to see the happy faces of a hundred or thousands of kids at pwede nilang masabi na, ‘Si Andre may edad na pero andito pa rin sa level naming mga kabataan.’”

He, too, has no qualms about being paired with other stars. His team-up with Mikee excites him no end since they’ve been working together in Encantadia. Mikee plays Kylie Padilla’s daughter Lira in the requel of the Kapuso primetime series while Andre portrays Wahid, the character played by his dad Benjie Paras in the original version.

“Actually, we’ve known each other even before Enca because we have common friends. Our team-up here (in Perfect Fit) is fine for both of us. If you talk about chemistry, andyan na kasi we are together in Enca and then from afternoon to evening kulitan lang during taping breaks kaya happy kami to be together.”

In Perfect Fit, Andre is account executive Eugene who is set to date a model named Cindy (played  by Arra San Agustin) whom he met through the dating app. Unfortunately, Cindy’s cellphone malfunctions and she asks the tiangge cellphone repair girl Ella (Mikee) to fix it. Ella discovers that Cindy is matched with Eugene who is her childhood crush. Curious to see him, Ella dresses up and pretends to be Cindy for a night. What started as a harmless lie turns into a complicated charade as Ella and Eugene begin to develop feelings for each other.

Asked if he didn’t find it difficult to act lovey-dovey with Mikee, Andre said that their being comfortable with each other helps in acting out some romantic scenes. “We stay in one tent also that’s why we get to talk a lot; we’re close so sobrang fun lang.”

(Perfect Fit, directed by Jorron Monroy, also stars Mickey Ferriols, William Lorenzo, Jay Arcilla and Bern Josep Persia.)