CHRISTIAN Bables is very thankful to Director Joel Lamangan for handpicking him to play the role of the effeminate holdupper, Donald, in Vivamax’ “Bekis on the Run”. He has one hilarious scene in the trailer where someone asks him: “Bakla ka, no?” And he replies: “Hindi. Tomboy ako.”

“I really dream to work with Direk Joel, at dapat nga, nagkatrabaho na kami before in ‘Huling Bakla’, but I was then doing a reality show for ABS-CBN kaya hindi ko nagawa,” he says. “Hinayang na hinayang nga ako, but fortunately, heto, I’m given another chance to work with him in ‘Bekis on the run’.”

He’s happy to finally act again after so long. “Thankful ako to have worked again kasi it helps preserve my sanity. When the pandemic came, naging very challenging for me, kasi wala akong masyadong ginagawa after most of my projects were shelved. I really miss acting and one year and a half din akong hindi nakaarte. Mahirap na walang outlet para sa artistic side ko. Para akong gutom at uhaw kundi ako nakakaarte.”

So how’s his experience working with Direk Joel? “At first, siyempre, nandun ang kaba, kasi he’s a veteran director, but it turns out that he’s very generous at hindi siya napapagod i-guide kami ng co-actors ko sa characters naming lahat.”

We thought he wants to rest from doing gay roles? And how is his role here different from the other gay roles he did before?

“I don’t really mind doing gay roles as long as may puso siya and I’m fortunate na magaganda ang characters na nagagampanan ko in ‘Die Beautiful’, ‘Panti Sisters’ and sa isa ko pang bagong movie, ‘Big Night’, with Direk Jun Lana. Ang kaibhan ni Donald dito sa ‘Bekis on the Run’, hindi siya nagmumuher, he’s not openly gay.”

Another difference is that he has a boyfriend in “Bekis on the Run”, played by Sean de Guzman. “In my past films, wala akong love interest, pero dito, may kissing scenes pa kami ni Sean. First time ko ginawa ‘yun. Actually, wala ‘yun sa script. Sinabi na lang sa amin ni Direk Joel, doon sa set na mismo.”

Didn’t he have any hesitation in doing it? “No, I just dove right into my character and trusted our director. Ni wala nga kaming workshop dito kasi right after they got me, shooting na agad. Once naman kasing nakapasok ka na sa shoes ng character mo at alam mo kunsaan siya nanggagaling, dapat anuman ang hingin sa’yo ng director mo, ready ka ng ibigay, kasi alam mong parte ‘yun ng character mo. At nakita ko rin naman si Sean, he’s also very much into his character na, so we just did it. We just both trusted Direk Joel, pero kung hindi siguro siya, hindi ko basta gagawin ito.”

Will he fall for a beki character in real life? “I am a proud ally of the gay community, but i don’t see myself falling for a beki because my sexual preference is definitely not with the same sex. But I understand kung ano mga pinaglalaban nila. Sa gay characters na nagawa ko na, I think I help naman the community to help the audience know more about their plight in helping celebrate gay pride.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Mario Bautista