Undoubtedly, one of the actors who had “gone to soon” is the great Rico Yan. Whatever age you are, you’ll surely hear several stories about him because he had touched so many lives when he was still alive. Although he may not be with us now, the memories and stories of him from his fans and loved ones are what we can always hold onto.
Rico Yan, famously nicknamed as Mr. Dimple, quickly rose to fame after he was discovered by a talent scout to become a model. He was soon found to have a talent for acting and starred in some of the biggest Pinoy classics, “Gimik”, “Mula Sa Puso”, and “Got 2 Believe”.
In this Pop Cinema interview clip, Vhong Navarro shared with us his most unforgettable memory with Rico. While having a Pelikula Throwback with hosts Bianca Gonzales and MJ Felipe, Vhong remembered how Rico was supposed to join him in the cast of the 2002 movie “JOLOGS” and that conversation led them to talk more about Rico’s influence in his life, most especially when they both worked on “Got 2 Believe.”
“Ang galing-galing ni Rico sa pelikulang ito,” Vhong opened when they started talking about their biggest project together. He shared a fun tidbit that Rico was initially nervous about the romantic comedy project because he was still new to the comedy genre that time. Though that did not get the better of him as his determination to be a remarkable actor was stronger. To date, “Got 2 Believe” is hailed as one of the biggest romantic comedies of Philippine cinema.
Everyone felt goosebumps when Vhong recalled what Rico had said to him before — which now seems like a premonition that Rico had about his future. During one of their get-togethers while filming “Got 2 Believe,” Rico had said, “Alam mo magkaroon lang ako ng isang super blockbuster movie, pwede na akong mamatay.”
If Rico were alive today, Vhong assures that they would have remained to be the best of friends. According to him, Rico was one of the most down-to-earth people he knew and could get along with anyone. He was a pleasure to work with and made it a point to be friends with coworkers outside of the set.
It’s amazing how Rico still inspires us and moves our hearts even after he has not been with us for almost 19 years. Like Vhong, Bianca, MJ, and many others, we salute Rico and the mark he has made on this earth.
Watch more of Pop Cinema’s touching interview with Vhong in this video.
Pop Cinema is a weekly roundup of the pop and trending updates in the country PLUS an online talk with surprise celebrity guests. Together with your resident Popparazis Bianca Gonzalez and MJ Felipe, don't miss an episode on FYE Channel's official Kumu account (@FYEChannel) every Saturday at 7PM! You may also binge-watch past episodes on the official YouTube channel of Cinema One.