Confirmed: Tom Rodriguez is living-in with a girl named Bubbly. She’s sweet and caring. When Tom comes home from work, Bubbly meets him at the door with a loving sound and then Tom wraps his arms around her.
Bubbly is Tom’s pet puppy, his only companion in his condo unit.
“I miss her when I leave her at home,” confessed Tom, “so I often bring her to work.”
Bubbly was the same cute pup once seen being cuddled by Carla Abellana, rumored to be Tom’s girlfriend (although she and Tom haven’t admitted it up to now), at a GMA studio.
Is Carla as cuddly as Bubbly?
Tom made no comment.
They are starring in Regal Films’ No Boyfriend Since Birth (NBSB), opening nationwide on Wednesday (Nov. 11, with the gala premiere tonight), directed by Joey Javier Reyes who describes it as a “kilig movie” about a girl (played by Carla) who has a big crush on a guy (Tom) who acts like she doesn’t exist.
Meanwhile, let’s put Tom on the hot seat and hear it from him.
If the title of your movie is No Girlfriend Since Birth (NGSB), would it have a different story?
“Uhm, the same siguro. I can relate to Carla’s character in the movie. I know how it feels to have a crush on somebody at hindi ako pinapansin.”
Really? Does it happen to good-looking guys like you?
“Oo naman. It happened to me many times when I was in high school. I had several crushes who just ignored me, lagi akong basted, so what I did was keep the feeling to myself. Para bang controlled grief, hehehehe!”
Of course, it’s a different story now. So how many girlfriends have you had since birth?
“’Yung official…siguro four.”
Let me see. The first two sa States. No. 3 and No. 4 in the Philippines.
“No. Only the first one was in the States.”
I don’t know who No. 2 was but No. 3 was the theater actress, right?
“Hahahaha!!!”
Is No. 4 the current one?
“Hahahaha!!!”
Is there going to be a No. 5?
“Wala pa…Uhm, ahhh, I’d rather keep it to myself muna.”
How many girls have you courted so far?
“I have lost count. Ang dami na! Especially when I was still in Catbalogan (Eastern Samar). That’s where I grew up until 2001. I studied grade school there before my family migrated to the States.” (Two other stars who are from Catbalogan are Tessie Tomas and Bibeth Orteza. — RFL)
What’s your courting style? Do you try to win a girl with chocolates, flowers or love letters?
“I give her my art work. Mahilig ako mag-sketch at mag-paint.”
Is it effective?
“So far.”
Aren’t you an action man?
“No. Medyo torpe ako when it comes to courting girls.”
Do you wait for the girl to make the first move?
“Not naman to that extent. I have to do the initiative.”
What’s your type of girls?
“Before, I was somewhat confused. Hindi ko alam kung anong type ang gusto ko. But now, I’m sure na. Somebody who is buotan (Waray term for mabait. — RFL), dapat kasundo ko, somebody with a light and funny side. It’s hard to define. ‘Yung mga naging girlfriends ko, iba-iba ang ugali. What’s important is that you should be friends first before you become steadies. The best foundation for a relationship is friendship.”
What kind of boyfriend are you, hard to deal with…moody?
“No, I’m not. Medyo may pagka-Kenkoy lang ako….puwera lang kapag mainit ang ulo ko, hehehehe!”
During the presscon, you and Carla described your relationship as “exclusively dating”…
“…yes, we are ‘exclusively dating.’”
Not (yet) going steady?
“Uhm, I’d rather keep it to myself muna.”
Isn’t there any pressure working with a girl you are, ehem, “exclusively dating?”
“I’m not saying this because I’m talking about Carla, ha, but I really enjoy working with Carla so much.”
Same with Megan (Young, his leading lady in Marimar)?
“Yes, Megan is also easy to work with, magaan ka-trabaho. Megan and I have worked before, doon sa kabilang channel.”
Like you and Carla, Megan and Mikael Daez have been rumored to be an item but they never admitted it. So Mikael has nothing to, well, worry about?
“No. Mikael is also my friend. In 2011 when I worked with Megan on a project, I also worked with Mikael in the movie Temptation Island. Mikael shouldn’t worry, not at all, zero.”
Okay, let’s talk about your “firsts.” First love…
“I was 15. When I was in high school in the States.”
First heartbreak?
“I was 18. Ibang girl na ‘yon.”
First kiss?
“I was 14.”
First “time?”
“I was 16.”
Are you a one-woman man?
“I would like to believe so.”
Are you faithful?
“Oo naman!!!”
How would you rate yourself as a lover…good, very good or excellent?
“All I can say is…so far, no girl has complained, hahahaha!”
How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10?
“It’s not for me to say. Ask na lang any of my exes, hehehehe!”
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)