VIN Abrenica was the male winner in TV5’s talent search, Artista Academy in 2012, and Sophie Albert, now his wife, was the female winner. He was given lead roles in such dramas as “Never Say Goodbye”, “Misibis Bay” and “Beki Boxer”.

When TV5 folded up its entertainment arm in 2016, he moved to ABS-CBN where he did supporting roles in “Wildflower” and “A Soldier’s Heart”. When ABS-CBN lost its franchise, he moved to GMA-7 and did guest roles in the hit primetime action-fantasy show, “Lolong” and “Nakarehas na Puso”.

He now plays a more important role as the main villain in the historical action drama, “Mga Lihim ni Urduja”. “I play Onyx, the leader of the bounty hunters who want to get the magical necklace of Princess Urduja,” he says. “Kami nina Winwyn Marquez, Michelle Dee at Kristoffer Martin ang mga kalaban dito ng mga bidang si Kylie Padilla at Gabbi Garcia.”

It’s ironical that Vin, who won in TV5’s artista search, is now with GMA-7, whereas his older brother, Aljur, who won in GMA’s own artista search, Starstruck, summarily ended his own contract with the Kapuso network, moved to ABS-CBN, but is now a free lancer.

Vin’s marriage to Sophie is going strong, but it’s common knowledge that Aljur’s marriage to Kylie ended in separation. How did it feel when Aljur and Kylie broke up and how does it feel to Vin now that he’s working with his former sister in law?

“I was affected by their break up,” he says. “I didn’t expect their marriage would end like that. Siempre, nanghinayang din ako. Lahat naman ng marriages na natapos sa break up, nakakalungkot, specially for the children.”

Now, that he and Kylie are working together, is there a feeling of being awkward between them?

“Wala naman. Wala kaming feeling na naiilang sa isa’t isa kasi Kylie and I have been close maging noong sila pa ng brother ko. For a while, nagkasama kami in one house kasi I was then living with my Kuya. Naging maganda ang samahan namin and up to now, we even bring our kids to the mall to play together. So, hindi nawala ;yung connection namin. And now that we’re working together in one show, we’ve become even closer.”

And what can he say now that his Kuya Aljur has found a new love in sexpot AJ Raval?

“Sabi nga ni Kylie in an interview, she’s happy for them. So let’s just be happy kung saan sila masaya. As for Kylie and I, we have our good relationship in our show.

Magkaaway kami rito and sabay kaming nag-training for our fight scenes. We will eventually have action scenes together kasi she plays a policewoman and I’m a bad guy.

We have a good working relationship and we don’t allow what happened to him and my brother na makaapekto sa amin at sa aming trabaho.”

He is just thankful to GMA-7 for giving him a good show on primetime. “Guest lang ako noon sa ‘Lolong’ and ‘Nakarehas na Puso’, but this time mas malaki at full length ang role ko as Onyx, which is a very challenging role at tiyak na magagalit sa akin ang viewers because I’m a very scheming character here na tiyak na kaiinisan nila.”