Kelvin lets his eyes speak a thousand words

There’s a certain sadness in his eyes.

Asked in a “Body Talk” what part of his body is his favorite, Kelvin Miranda replied, “My eyes.”

That’s what people notice in the star of the GTV series The Lost Recipe (airing at 8 to 9 p.m. Monday thru Friday) and the newest face of Bench (billboards attracting motorists and commuters in the metropolis). Those eyes.

“I let my eyes express more emotions than words can ever do,” said Kelvin whom showbiz-watchers remember (maybe vaguely) from movies like D’Ninang, Madrasta, Haunted Forest, Ang Forever Ko’y Ikaw, Class of 2018 and Dead Kids, which has been streaming on Netflix.

“When I’m sad, you can see it in my eyes, same as when I am happy or expecting something big to come.”

His eyes lit up when told that he passed the audition and bagged the Recipe lead role and the Bench deal (“I watched the billboard several times before I was convinced that it was really me,” smiled Kelvin).

“It pays to wait,” said Kelvin’s discoverer-manager Tyronne James Escalante of his own talent agency T.E.A.M. “It took more than four years for the breaks to come. The movies came before the teleserye.”

Kelvin was 16 when Tyronne discovered him. “Kelvin used to be very shy, although he’s really talented. He can sing, dance and act. He usually participated in school programs at the Caloocan City High School.”

“Actually,” admitted Kelvin who turned 22 last Jan. 18 (Capricorn), “I was about to give up and wanted to go back to school. Pre-pandemic, I passed an audition for an international movie. We did script-reading, test shots at nag-look-see na kami. But it was scrapped due to the pandemic. I was discouraged, na pang-hinaan ng loob, and almost gave up but I didn’t lose hope. I still want to continue my studies and take up Culinary Arts.”

The Recipe role is right down Kelvin’s alley.

His mother earned a living by hawking breakfast.

“As a kid,” recalled Kelvin, “while playing outside, I could smell the aroma of what my mom was cooking and I would run to the kitchen to watch her cook. I was 12 when I first did some cooking...ginisang corned beef with lots of onions.”

He did more cooking during the lock-in shoot around Manila for his Recipe co-stars (among them Mikee Quintos whom Kelvin described as “matapang, masipag and generous with her time and talent as an actress”). The shoot is in three restaurants, one in Manila (near the City Hall), one in Pasay and one in Quezon City. Kelvin is among those billeted in a hotel in Intramuros, Manila.

“I have portable cooking utensils and I order (by delivery) vegetables and fruits and I cook during our rest day.”

Before the Recipe shoot, the cast underwent a culinary workshop in which they were taught how to properly handle a knife, slice the meat and how to break an egg without destroying the yolk.

“Did you know,” asked Kelvin, “that there are 100 ways of cooking an egg?”

Okay, break time for “Body Talk.”

Kelvin is 5’7’ tall; weighs 145 lbs.; and wears medium-size shirt and briefs and size 9 shoes.

Describe your diet.

“During the lock-in shoot, no required diet kasi kailangan bumawi kami from working every day. Ordinarily, I eat anything — eggs sausage and rice for breakfast — and anything served for lunch and dinner. I do intermittent dieting. No meals for 16 hours. But no more meals after 6 p.m.”

How much water do you take per day?

“Eight glasses and sometimes even more.”

Coffee, tea or soda?

“Not much soda, but a lot of black coffee (no sugar, no cream). I finish one tumbler of coffee in half a day and I am trying to lessen it and I take tea na lang.”

Any vitamins you’re taking?

“Berroca.”

What workout do you do?

“Biking, boxing. I am starting to do calisthenics.”

Part of your body that needs improvement?

“My chest and shoulders.”

Part that is vulnerable?

“My head. Sumasakit when I am tired. And my arms and legs, madaling mangalay, especially when I’m standing too long.”

Favorite part of your body?

“My eyes. As I have just said, they are very expressive. And my ears because I love to listen to music.”

Part of a girl’s body that you look at first?

“Her eyes.”

What’s in a girl turns him on and off?

“Personality. Dapat malakas ang dating. Even if a girl is pretty, she’s not attractive to me kapag kulang sa personality.”

And what turns him off?

“Same. Kapag kulang d’un sa binanggit ko.”

How do you cope with stress?

“Music...standard songs, folk songs, all kinds. Movies. The last one I saw was Escape from Pretoria with Daniel Radcliffe. Massage is also a good stress reliever. Watching the scenery while driving in the countryside is also very relaxing.”

Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“Meditate.”

And the first thing that you do as soon as you wake up?

“Meditate.”

Do you have a favorite saint?

“Yes. San Roque (St. Roch, Patron of the Sick). Siya ang santo na kinalakihan ko.”

Three girls that you find sexy?

“Isabelle Ortega, Liza Soberano and Charlie Dizon.”

Using only body language, how would you make a girl know that you admire her?

“Offer my hand in friendship.”

(FLASH: According to a GTV report, The Lost Recipe posted solid numbers week-on-week with an average NUTAM people audience share of 8.6 percent based on Nielsen Phils. TAM’s Jan. 18 to Feb. 26 data. The story of Chef Harvey [Kelvin] and Apple [Mikee] constantly lands on the list of trending topics on social media. Its official Facebook page [@TheLostRecipeGTV) has recently hit more than 100,000 followers with the number continuing to increase.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)