Aside from hosting Sarap, Di Ba? and Eat Bulaga, as well as performing in All-Out Sundays, Mavy Legaspi will also be seen acting anew in Luv Is: Love at First Read with his perennial onscreen partner Kyline Alcantara.
The Sparkle GMA Artist Center young actor takes on the hotshot and charismatic college basketball player named Kudos Pereseo, whose concept about “love is supposed to be easy,” according to the teasers of the show, which premieres tomorrow, June 12, before 24 Oras and airs weekdays thereafter.
“I connect (with) Kudos because my lifestyle and Kudos’ are similar,” said Mavy of his recent character, as compared to the previous ones, in a recent brief chat, facilitated by the Kapuso corporate communications team. “Ganun po ako nung high school. I’ve got to relive that lifestyle.” The latter refers to Mavy’s interest in sports, specifically tennis.
In a TV interview, Mavy said that he doesn’t want to look at Kudos as the school jock, but as the main guy in college.
To play the part, he shared with this paper his approach. “Kaya parang binalikan ko na lang yung past life ko (It was like I went back to that past experience in my life). Definitely, it’s (acting is) not an easy job. It was easier because I connected (with) Kudos… na parang parehas kami ni Kudos nung high school ako.”
Mavy watched old videos and went through old photos of him when he was in that particular phase of life. The purpose was, he said, “just to enhance myself in that lifestyle again. Siyempre, yung mga workshops hindi mawawala po yun (Of course, attending acting workshops were part of the process) and lots of reading like Tagalog books.” His parents and veteran actors Zoren Legaspi and Carmina Villarroel encouraged him to do so. This is true because the language of Kudos for communication and connection is Tagalog.
“Binasa ko ulit actually yung mga scripts (in Tagalog) nila dati, mga old scripts nila Mama at Papa para ma-enhance lang yung tongue ko sa pag-ta-Tagalog (I re-read the old scripts of my parents to brush up my pronunciation in Tagalog), para ‘pag dumating na sa set, ‘pag sumalang na sa set ay OK na (so when I get on the set and the work starts, I’m OK and ready),” said he.
Aside from love and romance, what other related themes Luv Is: Love at First Read will tackle?
“There’s heartbreak, there’s betrayal, there’s forgiveness, there’s friendship,” answered Mavy. “(It also touches on) the relationships in every family, the relationship between the youth and of course, priorities like career, work, school and all of it will be tackled. That’s why it is really for all ages and it’s really for everyone.”
The tandem of Mavy and Kyline was introduced in the primetime series, I Left My Heart in Sorsogon. From there, they have collaborated in projects like JulieVerse.
Does he always anticipate and look forward to every acting project with Kyline?
“Definitely, I’ve always said this before na gusto ko talagang maka-trabaho si Kyline and now, I love working with Kyline. She always pushes me to be the best version of myself every day and it’s healthy. Napaka-laking tulong siya ‘pag dating sa set, on-cam and off-cam (She’s a big help to me on set). Who doesn’t want that, you know. You get to bring out your best together with someone that you appreciate and love so much.”
However, Mavy, the actor, is open to be paired with other actresses.
“Yeah, in the future you know, kahit anong blessing pa yan, I’m willing (whatever work blessing that may come my may, I’m willing to do it). If the story is right for me and if it’s approved by the management and if the management gives it to me,” said he. “I’m always willing to just work and do the job. Of course, it’s always a blast working with Kyline. I look forward to working with her more.”
As for his participation in Eat Bulaga as among its new set of hosts, Mavy described the experience as “fun, it’s very happy… ‘pag dating sa set, ‘pag dating sa studio, it’s always a fun time. The cast (members are) very close. I’m very familiar with the cast kaya on- and off-cam, masaya lang kami and I love seeing people happy.”
“Nakikita ko yung studio audience na masaya sila kapag nagkakaroon sila ng premyo, mas nagiging masaya sila, and just to bond with happy mommies and lolas, it reminds me of bonding with my lola,” continued he.
Mavy and Kyline, also known as Sparkle Sweethearts, will also be joined by Jestoni Alarcon, Jackie Lou Blanco, Larkin Castor, Maricar de Mesa, Josh Ford, twins Vito and Kiel Gueco, Therese Malvar, Marco Masa, Mariel Pamintuan and Bruce Roeland in the Kapuso kilig series.