FABIO Ide says he is sleep deprived these days. His partner, a blonde Swedish girl named Ellen Frojd with green eyes who works as a CEO here for an international company, has given birth to twin girls named Maya and Luna.

“They were born premature but they’re both okay,” he says. “They have yayas during the day but at night, hands on kami ng partner ko in taking care of them so we sleep only about two or three hours each night. Kasi kapag umiyak yung isa, the other one also cries at gising na kami lahat.”

Fabio came to Manila 14 years ago when he was 21 years old with two other Brazilians who joined showbiz: Akihiro Sato and Daniel Matsunaga. He’s the only who remains active.

He has since appeared in various soaps like “Destiny Rose”, “Coffee Prince”, “TOTGA”, “Cain at Abel” on GMA-7. On ABS-CBN, he did “Iron Heart” and now, he’s back to GMA in “Black Rider” playing contravida to title-roler Ruru Madrid. He has also worked with Vivamax in the film “Purificacion” and in the series “An/Na”. He has now just completed a new erotic drama, “Higop”, where he plays the pivotal role of Mond.

“This is my most challenging role so far as I play a bad guy,” he says. “I own a milk tea shop that at night, I turn into a girlie bar where I act as pimp for the girls who are working me. This is also my sexiest role as I have love scenes with all the girls, including Angelica Hart who plays the lead role, and also Zsara Laxamana, Aila Cruz, Jonica Lazo, Joanna David and Princess Xian. There’s a very daring scene na pinagsabay-sabay ko sila. Don’t miss ‘Higop’ when it starts streaming on Friday, December 15, directed by Topel Lee.”

It’s his first time to work with Direk Topel and he finds Topel so easy to work with. “At first, I was shocked when I learned I’m doing so many nude love scenes in ‘Higop’. But what’s nice with Direk Topel is he’s very collaborative. We talk a lot and you can ask him any question and he’s sure to answer them to explain why he wants you to do something. May pagka-sadistic kasi yung character ko rito and he told me it’s needed in the story.”

He adds that he actually enjoyed working with everyone in this movie. “All the girls are very nice and cooperative, specially Angelica Hart.

She’s a mabait girl and jokes a lot. She calls me Kuya Fabio and I tell her not to call me Kuya but Kuya pa rin ang tawag niya sa akin.”

Fabio also has a daughter with Denise Oca, the daughter of actress Melissa Mendez. “Yes, she’s Dannie, now 9 years old. She enjoys being the Ate to her twin sisters. She usually spends the weekends with us kasi weekday, she’s with her mom para malapit sa school niya.”

Fabio now plans to stay here in the Philippines for good and raise his kids here.

“Dito na ang buhay ko sa Pilipinas. Even if I have no Pinoy blood in me, Pinoys warmly welcomed me and made me feel at home right away.

When I last went home to Brazil, sobrang na-miss ko ang Pinas, but when I’m here, hindi ko na nami-miss ang Brazil, so sana, mabigyan na ako ng chance to be a naturalized citizen here.”