MANILA -- Actor Marco Gumabao, who appeared with Miles Ocampo in the youth-oriented sitcom, “Luv U,” cannot be any prouder with his contemporary in showbiz, who recently had her acting resurgence in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.”
Ocampo earned praise when she played the young Marites whose superb performance in the pilot episode of “Batang Quiapo” trended worldwide last month.
“I saw Miles in some of the scenes in ‘Batang Quiapo’ at magaling talaga si Miles,” Gumabao proudly told ABS-CBN News.
“It’s about time that resurgence happened for her. From ‘Goin’ Bulilit’ at mga teleserye niyang ginawa dati, like ‘And I Love You So,’ I’m really happy for her and proud.
“That’s really her talent there. Nakakatuwa that people recognize Miles again now because of ‘Batang Quiapo.’”
Gumabao and Ocampo became a love team when they worked together in “Luv U” for four years, from 2012 to 2016. They were both in their teens then. Although they have yet to work together again, they have remained friends.
Gumabao may not be working again with Ocampo any time soon, but he has reunited with his “Just a Stranger” director, Jason Paul Laxamana, in Viva Films’ forthcoming romantic-comedy, “Baby Boy, Baby Girl.”
The is Gumabao’s third film this year, following Jalz Zarate’s “Spellbound” with Bela Padilla and Darryl Yap’s “Martyr or Murderer,” where Gumabao essayed the young Ferdinand Marcos.
“This [‘Baby Boy, Baby Girl’] is my second with direk Jason Paul, who directed me in ‘Just a Stranger’ which we shot back in 2019,” said Gumabao. “All the films I finished last year, this year pinalabas at sunod-sunod pa.
“I’m so happy na maganda ang pasok ng 2023. I am doing a TV show with Yassi Pressman.
“I’ve been waiting for my comeback movie with direk Jason and this is it, ‘Baby Boy. Baby Girl.’ I’ve been waiting and wishing for this movie. Of course, the topic is a bit controversial. When I read the script, it’s not a negative thing.
“May nakita din kaming positive thing, although I am not saying that being a sugar baby is positive. Sa story ng characters namin, it turned out to be positive, although I don’t want to give further details so as not to spoil the film.
“When we were shooting the film, hindi namin alam kung ano ang nakakatawa at hindi nakakatawa. It all boils down to editing how direk Jason projected the funny scenes.”
Others in the cast of “Baby Boy, Baby Girl” are Giselle Sanchez as Gumabao’s sugar mommy, Rey “PJ” Abellana as Verzosa’s sugar daddy, with Yayo Aguila as Gumabao’s mom.
Also starring are Marissa Sanchez, Yen Durano, Migo Valid, Gino Roque, Andrea Babierra, Marnie Lapus and Gary Lim.
Gumabao and Verzosa had worked together in half-a-dozen projects to date. They first worked together in the ABS-CBN afternoon series, “Los Bastardos” in 2018.
So what makes their team-up work? “Our friendship through the years,” Gumabao admitted. “That was a very solid foundation for us, especially if you’re doing scenes that require chemistry, not just on-cam but your chemistry off-cam.
“We didn’t have any problems in our shoot that we finished in eight days. For me that is quite fast and the quality didn’t suffer.”