Encounter with the third kind

Before the Kapuso 2013 hit drama My Husband’s Lover (starring Carla Abellana between Tom Rodriguez as her husband and Dennis Trillo as Tom’s gay lover), there was the 1982 Hollywood movie Making Love (which obviously inspired MHL, starring former Charlie’s Angel Kate Jackson between Michael Ontkean as her doctor husband and Harry Hamlin as Michael’s gay artist-lover).

Before the 1998 ménage a trois Pusong Mamon (directed by Joel Lamangan starring Lorna Tolentino, Albert Martinez as her boyfriend and Eric Quizon as Albert’s gay lover), there was Ang Lee’s 1993 bromance The Wedding Banquet (about a gay Chinese guy and his lover living happily ever after, whose sexual preference is hidden until his parents plan a traditional Chinese wedding with a girl).

The road paved with rainbow colors by these films is a crowded avenue these days.

Now comes Star Cinema’s The Third Party (showing nationwide starting tomorrow), starring Angel Locsin, Zanjoe Marudo and Sam Milby in the now very familiar threesome. Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana from a screenplay by Patrick Valencia and Charlene Sawit Esguerra, the movie casts Angel and Sam as college sweethearts who, after breaking up, meet again after a few years only for Angel’s character to discover that Sam is already romancing another guy (Zanjoe).

Here’s Angel who, in real life, is smarting from a break-up with long-time boyfriend Luis Manzano due to a third party (suspected to be…Jessy Mendiola?).

Angel Locsin

Angel: I have never been a third party in any relationship

What’s in your role that you identify with? How are you similar to or different from your character?

“Well, my character Andy is independent, she can live by herself, magaling siya sa mga pag didiskarte niya. She faces many problems, dami niyang mga sablay, but she’s not a quitter. She will do anything to survive while sticking to her values. She cannot bear to hurt another person in pursuit of happiness and she’d rather suffer in silence. I can relate to Andy on that aspect. But Andy is quite talkative, madaldal siya, and I can’t relate to her on that aspect. I am the quiet type. And, may I stress, never akong naging third party.” (Laughs)

You must be a masochist to just suffer in silence even if you’re already hurting? Wouldn’t you rather let it off your chest?

“Both. Once I have said my piece and air my side, quiet na ako, suffer na lang ako in silence.”

What would you do if you discovered that your boyfriend were gay and having an affair with another man?

“Nothing. What can I do? If you can stay friends, okey lang. You have no other choice, right? Otherwise, learn how to move on. But if you really love the guy, it doesn’t matter what his sexual preference is, and you can stay together not as lovers but as friends, di ba?”

Any lesson learned from past relationships that will guide you in a future relationship?

“Well, love is a sacrifice, love is unconditional, love makes the world go round.” (Laughs) “For me, love shouldn’t be selfish, di siya dapat mahirap o masakit. Love should make you happy and make life worth living.”

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Zanjoe Marudo

Zanjoe: Have I ever been propositioned by a gay man? Never. I haven’t received any indecent proposal but I have many gay friends, and I know that some of them have romantic feelings for me. They never offer money or anything. They never attempt to touch me. (Laughs)

Since you have played a gay role in Bromance and a few other movies, this time in The Third Party you are the object of desire of a gay man. How do you feel about it?

“I’m excited about my character because it’s something new. It’s the first time that I’m playing a guy with a gay lover. I played a gay role in a comedy and another gay role in a horror movie. Happy ako sa The Third Party because it’s another comedy at riot ang mga eksena, especially when Angel starts living-in with Sam and me.”

There’s a gender issue about you. How do you feel about that?

“Sa akin…meron ba? Totoo? I haven’t heard about that but if there was, I wouldn’t really mind. It’s normal especially these days. Sexual preference is no longer an issue, bale wala kung bading ka o lalake ka.”

Have you ever been propositioned by a gay man? Any indecent proposal (offered money, car, etc.)?

“None. I haven’t received any indecent proposal but I have many gay friends, and I know that some of them have romantic feelings for me. They never offer money or anything. They never attempt to touch me.” (Laughs)

How would you react if you discovered that your girlfriend were lesbian and having an affair with another woman? Have you ever had a girlfriend that you suspected was gay (AC/DC)?

“If we are already going steady and I discover that she’s having a relationship with another woman, siempre ano yon, bad trip yon di ba? Hassle yon. But if she goes into a relationship after we break up, there’s no problem with me. If that how she feels, if that’s where her emotion is bringing her, if that’s what makes her happy, if she’s following what her heart dictates, go ahead. There shouldn’t be gender where love is concerned.”

How are you similar to or different from your character?

“Pagkakapareho? Christian, my character, is fond of kids and I am like him. He’s a caring and loving person and close to his family. Ganoon din ako. Christian is controlling and OC (obsessive-compulsive) and I’m not like that.”

How did you feel during your love scenes with Sam? How did you two prepare for it?

“Actually, I didn’t have to prepare for that, not even for our intimate scenes. I would be informed about those scenes because when I was already on the set, when direk Jason would explain to us how to do the scenes. Then, Sam and I would help each other how to do the scenes. Nagtutulungan kami.”

Are you willing to play a more daring gay role? Not comedy but a serious one (like Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain)?

“Sure! Just because I’ve already played a gay role, eh, stop na ako. Ang dami pang puedeng gawin, so many other gay characters to portray. Very colorful ang buhay ng mga gay and I’m willing to explore some more.”

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Sam Milby

Sam: Wasn’t I worried that the movie might revive the gender issue about me? People still believe the rumor no matter what I do...But my friends know I’m comfortable with who I am. I know who I am. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted a role that would expose something that I was trying to hide.

First time you are playing a gay role. How did you internalize it, who was your peg?

“At first, it was really just looking at the character and his struggle because late niya nalaman na parang na bading siya at bisexual siya. So that’s the inner struggle that he went through after finding that out takot din siya na tanggapin yon. So I was more focused on that.

“Uhm, in terms of doing the gay role with Zanjoe, it’s just being comfortable and also trying to make it believable because this is my first time to do this kind of role ­— being sweet with a guy (Zanjoe). Uhm, it was hard at first kasi ‘yung mga simpleng scenes parang okey naman parang nakakatawa ang mga sweet scenes pero yung mas sweet na eksena parang awkward naman nito. But it’s a romantic comedy so we learned to enjoy.”

Didn’t you hesitate in accepting the role?

“Well, actually I accepted the role before I read the script. I like the concept. I’ve been in the business and I’m always looking for something new. Challenging sa akin to do a gay or bisexual role, so yeah, its a more risky role but very real so I enjoyed the script. Nung nag-dalawang isip ako it was not more about the script, it was more about the schedule because I was doing Doble Kara.”

Were you not worried that the movie might revive the gender issue about you?

“People still believe the rumor no matter what I do. I guess that when I am married and have kids, they will still believe what they want to believe. But my friends know I’m comfortable with who I am. I know who I am. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted a role that would expose something that I was trying to hide.”

How would you react if you discovered that your girlfriend were gay and having an affair with another woman?

“It would be devastating but it would help me move on easier, siguro. If my girlfriend cheated on me with another guy mas mahirap siguro mag-move on, it would be harder to deal with.”

“I actually talked about it dun sa presscon. I don’t know; it depends on the story, if I think it’s worth doing. Do I think I can do yung tipong very serious na maraming torrid na kissing or love scene? I dont know; I don’t know if I can go that far. Uhm, saludo ako sa mga actors na kayang gawin yan.”

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