David’s movie with Barbie rings close to his own experience
THIRTY-year-old actor David Licauco is one of the most successful male stars in the local entertainment scene today. His loveteam with Barbie Forteza, although not anchored on real romantic relationship, is undoubtedly a formidable partnership.
They started on TV in a number of successful teleseryes. He played the role of Fidel in Maria Clara at Ibarra, that wrapped up last year. Hence, it is not surprising that a project on the big screen was subsequently offered to them.
“Maganda talaga ang first movie namin ni Barbie,” asserted David. “So I will try my best to really promote it. Alam kong maganda ang movie kaya sana mapanood ng mga kababayan natin.”
David plays Adam, while Forteza is Mila as they display their chemistry anew, this time on the big screen in ‘That Kind of Love.’ Two people who are brought together by the quest of finding love.
Barbie, who’s turning 27 this July, plays Mila, a dating coach and psychologist, an independent and successful woman. She tries to help Adam, a successful and rich businessman in search for a special someone. But what happens if he falls for her, instead?
The young loveteam flew to South Korea last February to shoot some scenes there. ‘That Kind of Love’ is an entry to the Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival.
The film dropped its teaser trailer recently and many are anticipating the July playdate of director CC Camarillo project, written by Ellis Catrina Camarillo.
Barbie started in showbiz early on when she was still a child star and appeared in films and teleseryes. Her acting career became a blessing to her through the years and she undoubtedly made a name for herself.
Even if they are not romantically involved, Barbie and David have managed to make their screen partnership work. Barbie is romantically involved with actor Jak Roberto. Their seven-year relationship does not hinder the BarDa loveteam and is even going for the better.
“I don’t really believe in the perfect timing,” said Barbie. “Even our loveteam really came unexpectedly. I think ‘timing’ is not the success of the BarDa loveteam. We always just taking risks and working together very well and hopefully, the audience will respond positively.”
In terms of their loveteam, it was never about the timing. “It’s always the chemistry and the good partnership we’ve built and with ‘That Kind of Love,’ I feel like showing a feel-good rom-com is a good timing,” Barbie maintained.
“Let’s say you’re stressed with work, because this is the genre that you will really look for. So you can sleep well at night.”
Deciding on this film, Barbie’s relationship with Jak Roberto was never a factor. “It’s always clear to me that my personal life is separated from my professional life,” she said. “At that time this project was offered to David and I, the BarDa loveteam was picking up.
“So David and I decided the film is a good follow up project to Maria Clara at Ibarra. This came before ‘Maging Sino Ka Man.’ We shot ‘That Kind of Love’ last year in Korea. Everyone said yes right away. Everyone got on board right away. We were all very excited to do the film. \
“From direk Cathy, Pocket Media Productions, David and I, we were all looking forward to starting the film already. It took a year before this gets to be shown. We wanted to watch already the film. Nakakakilig siya talaga.”
‘That Kind of Love’ will feature a popular Korean designer, Lie Sang-Bong, who previously designed for Hollywood stars such as Beyonce, Rhianna, Lady Gaga and Lindsay Lohan.
“He will play a very significant role in the film that audiences will eventually find out,” Barbie said. \Last May, Barbie and David even went to Canada to entertain fans there. They were with Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose, Bianca Umali and Ruru Madrid in Calgary and Toronto.
The fast-rising David, who turned 30 last June 15, will star in his reunion project with Barbie, theMA 7 period drama, ‘Pulang Araw,’ slated to be aired on Netflix this July. The groundbreaking series also features Dennis Trillo, Sanya Lopez and Alden Richards.
David, who has successfully ventured into the restaurant business, thought that he would turn his interests more into being an entrepreneur and leave acting.
“But ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’ came and our successful loveteam started,” he said. “Other projects followed and even endorsements for both of us, so how can we say no? I’m super thankful for this partnership, loveteam and friendship. Nakakatuwa at nakaka-iyak.”
In terms of how David is perceived as a person, who comes from a comfortable family and has his own businesses and sporty. “People will think you don’t have problems,” he said. “You are not emotional, nonchalant, stoic in a way, with hardly any emotions. “I am a softee inside. When I’m in a relationship, I’m the only one who’s crying. I’m clingy. Grabe akong mag-effort.”
When David was only 22, he was a “hopeless romantic” who followed a girl he was courting in Korea. He slept in a public toilet waiting for the girl. “I didn’t have money,” Licauco recalled.
“The second day, I rented an affordable room. I still didn’t have money at that time. I even bought her flowers. I was courting her. I wanted to prove, this is what I could do. This is what I could offer. I’d move mountains for you. But I didn’t end up with that girl.”
Although his role in ‘That Kind of Love’ is something close to David in real life, he still didn’t find it easy to do the film.
“I’m used to teleseryes where you always do one takes,” he said. “I really worked on my patience because I’m not used to doing films.”
David’s mom, Eden Sy Licauco, has Filipino-Chinese ancestry, while his dad, Jolan Alexander Licauco, is pure Filipino. The actor-model and entrepreneur is the grandson of renowned parapsychologist and broadsheet columnist Jaime Licauco.
David was a student athlete who played as a shooting guard for De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde (CSB) in the NCCA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). He earned a degree in Business Management majoring in Computer Applications.
Before entering showbiz, the chinito hunk joined Mr. and Ms. Chinatown in 2014 and placed first runner up.
