Three things Carlo Aquino would never want to forget

“AKALA MO LANG WALA, pero meron, meron, meron!”

That was Carlo Aquino’s heartbreaking line as Ojie in the Chito Roño-directed film “Bata, Bata… Pa’no Ka Ginawa?” He was only 13 years old when he turned this one-liner of a dialogue into one of Philippine cinema’s memorable movie quotes.

Carlo is now 40 years old, and yet everyone still remembers his character and that iconic movie line.

In his guesting on “Fast Talk With Boy Abunda,” Carlo said he considers it a compliment every time people instantly remember him in the movie’s confrontation scene that bared years of bottled-up emotions between a mother and her son. The Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos portrayed Lea, the mother of Carlo’s Ojie.

“When you are working with a director like Chito Roño, you have no choice but to come to the set well-prepared, not to mention that you’re going to have a scene with Miss Vilma Santos,” said Carlo.

“So, dapat prepared ka na, wala nang actor’s cue, and although handang-handa na ako, may hinahanap pa rin si direk Chito. Feeling ko he was triggering me with the mic at the monitor and (he would say), ‘Ano ba humarap ka nga d’yan!’ kaya tumataas ng tumataas ‘yung emosyon ko kaya siguro ganun lumabas ‘yung eksena,” he added.

Carlo also worked with iconic directors Joel Lamangan and Gil Tejada Jr. in the GMA soaps from 2007 to 2010, such as “Tinik Sa Dibdib,” “Maging Akin Ka Lamang,” “Sinasamba Kita” and “Totoy Bato,” among others, and participated in musical performances in the Sunday noontime variety show “SOP.”

I have known Carlo from the very beginning of his acting career. He’s talented yet humble, quiet and shy when not in character and the cameras are not rolling.

“I’m confident when doing a character, but as myself, I’m very shy. Ngayon pa lang ako nagiging outgoing,” said Carlo, who doesn’t like people fussing over him.

One of the show’s staff couldn’t resist saying that Carlo oozes with sex appeal. Women adore him, but the actor is too humble to admit it.

“I really don’t know, and I don’t believe it. Hindi ako naniniwala kasi hindi ako kasing confident ng mga leading men of today. Siguro feeling ko genuine kasi ako. Hindi ako nagpapakita ng anuman na peke, kaya baka isa ’yon na reason.”

Did you know that Carlo wanted to give up on showbiz at one point in his life?

The actor revealed he doubted his acting ability in the mid-2000s when acting projects became scarce.

“Acting is our source of income. Ito ‘yung bumubuhay sa amin, and we were able to build a house because of it. Nagtutulungan kami ng dad ko nung bata pa ako (he was seven years old when he entered show business). There were indie films. Also then, there came a time na bakit parang wala akong ginagawa kahit sinasabi nila na ang talented ko, ang galing-galing ko.”

He considered asking his uncle to adopt him and live with him in the US. He was confident that, aside from acting, he could do manual labor.

“Umabot ako sa point na nag-tarpaulin printing (ako) while working on an indie film. Naglagay ako ng mga tarp ng mga salon, sa mga building kasama ko ang cousin ko. Siya ‘yung nag-we-welding. I would also borrow an elf (truck) from my bandmate who has hardware. I would pick it up in San Juan, and then drive back to my house to get the tarp, then head to Cavite and San Andres to put up the signage. I did everything to provide (for the family), and it was like also telling myself that I can do anything, na marami akong magagawa.”

However, fate led Carlo back to acting. It’s a passion that he couldn’t just ignore.

“‘Yung love for the craft kasi in a way na nandito ka to inspire at make people feel happy (with his character portrayal).”

Carlo recently starred as the male lead character in “A Special Memory.” The romantic drama centers on a couple struggling against time and fate due to the early onset of Alzheimer’s, causing them to lose their memories. He played the husband to Bela Padilla’s character.

Asked what three special memories he would never want to forget, Carlo affirmed that nothing is more precious than his family.

“First, when we transferred to the house that we built. Dati kasi naka-apartment kami tapos paglipat namin doon sa bahay na pinagawa namin, hindi pa tapos kasi wala pang palitada, hollow blocks lang talaga, but it gave me a sense of pride na I made it. Amin na talaga at hindi na mag-re-rent. So, I was really proud at that time.”

“Second, my and Charlie’s wedding, because it’s a new chapter of my life. And I love Charlie so much that even if we only dated for a short time (seven months), I’ve already decided that she’s the one for me — my friend and a life partner at the same time,” said he.

“Third, when Mithi was born (his five-year-old daughter with former partner Trina Candaza).”

Carlo said Mithi is very close to his wife Charlie, so much so that his daughter always asks for her Tita April (Charlie’s real name) first during video calls.

Carlo and Charlie tied the knot on June 9, 2024.