Lolong star Ruru Madrid on Tuesday, June 21, admitted it was hard to keep his body shredded while making the upcoming action-packed series of GMA Network.
“Siyempre,” he admitted during the show’s press conference. “First, ‘yung katawan ko dito, kailangang batak. Kasi most of the time, topless ako dito, lagi akong lumalangoy. At the same time, ‘yung challenge din.”
His endurance was also put to the test in Lolong. The actor recalled how he had to swim from the middle of the river, go up to another location for a fight scene, and finally, do a normal scene.
“There was this one scene na ginawa namin ni Direk Rommel (Penesa) na nanggaling ako sa ilog, ang ginagawa namin usually, sasakay ako nang speedboat, at ilalagay nila ako sa gitna ng ilog. Then magda-dive ako doon, lalangoy ako hanggang pampang. Pagdating ko nang pampang, aakyat ako, makikipag-fight scene ako. Then after, makikipag-eksena ako.”
But Madrid always puts in his mind to train every time he has a chance, may it be before or even after taping. His reason is, “Kasi kailangan talaga kundisyon ako dito. Dahil kung hindi, sobrang babagsak ako.”
It was indeed challenging for the Kapuso star, but the type of challenge he had been looking for.
“Right now, mag-25 na ako this year and I want to explore. Gusto ko pang ma-challenge ang sarili ko and I guess, ito po ‘yung tamang programa na napasukan ko para ma-challenge ko ang sarili ko.”
He does his own stunts.
According to Madrid, seeing on television the stunts, the fight scenes, and knowing that he did it himself without any stunt doubles, was “satisfying.”
“Sa totoo lang, sobrang mahalaga siya sa akin. Kasi iba ang satisfaction na nakikita ko sa TV na ako mismo ang gumagawa ng stunts.”
He said it was his dream to be an action star, and he would not want to give GMA Network a “mediocre” effort.
“Kasi ito ‘yung passion ko. I mean nag-artista ako dahil pangarap kong maging action star. Ito ang pinapanood ko lang noong bata ako and finally, nabigyan ako ng opportunity na gumawa nang isang teleserye na aksyon. That’s why ayokong balewalain ang tiwala na binigay nila sa akin. That’s why everytime na may pinapagawa sa akin, gagawin ko talaga, kahit na gaano pa iyan kahirap. Kasi ganoon ko kamahal ang trabaho ko, ‘yung craft ko, and this show.”
In Lolong, he will have two leading ladies in Shaira Diaz and Arra San Agustin. The show will air on April 4, only on GMA Network.
