The cast of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano has been working together for years. They are somewhat growing old together that’s why John Arcilla, playing the notorious kontrabida Renato Hipolito, had so much to spill about his co-stars as he played Bukingan Challenge in this edition of Kapamilya Chat.
John revealed that Whitney Tyson is the “matakaw” among them and Joel Torre the “antukin.” On the Team Promdi who easily cries, John said it isn’t anyone of the cast but their makeup artist named Ate Virgie, “Lahat kami natatawa. Lahat kami nagugulantang kasi umiiyak na siya sa tabi. Nag-uumpisa pa lang ‘yung intro, hindi pa nagte-take, umiiyak na siya.”
The ‘kilabot’ is real when sharing scenes with Maika Rivera, Ara Mina, and Lorna Tolentino. “Wala naman in particular pero siyempre kinikilabutan ka ‘pag ka-eksena mo si Maika, Lorna at Ara. Hindi ka ba naman kilabutan, ang gaganda ng mukha at ang se-sexy, ‘di ba?”
Asked who heaps bloopers, John shared an incident where Nonong Balinan struggled in a scene because he’s intimidated – with none other than John. “May isang eksena na paulit-ulit, hindi niya makuha. Sabi niya, ‘Eh, kasi po natatakot ako kay Sir John, eh.’”
On working with newbies, John said he rarely gives acting lessons because he doesn’t want to be misinterpreted. Besides, he wants the actor to learn by experience. “Hindi ito kadamutan, ano? You have your own responsibility and you will learn better if you experience the process kesa ako ‘yung magpo-provide ng venue,” he explained.
To be clear, he said he also gives pieces of advice but he does it during takes. He uses his character to elicit the proper response and emotion from a co-actor. “That way, I am trying to create an experience for us to make the scene work. So I have to find something from my character how I can channel that emotion that my co-actor needs para lumabas naman ‘yung kailangan niyang gawin. ‘Pag hindi niya nakukuha, may kaunting sundot lang ako as friendly advice.”
Asked the joker in the group, he mentioned Edu Manzano, who became part of the show in 2018. He named Angel Aquino and John Medina as the chill cast members, and Tirso Cruz III as ‘makuwento.’ He said he misses everybody after each round of lock-in taping, much more when the show ends.
Catch FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, weeknights, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z.