In an online media conference held on Friday, July 30, actor-singer Matt Lozano admitted that he experienced discrimination in showbiz for being a plus-size guy.
He revealed that he was many times discriminated against because of breaking the standards of showbiz in terms of weight.
“Yes. Marami. Sobrang dami kong experiences na hindi lang sa mga taong hindi ko kilala pati dun sa mga taong kakilala ko na. Talagang may mga times na may friends ka di ba na sobrang dina-down ka, ‘uy ang taba-taba mo na dapat ganito, dapat ganyan.’
“At first, talagang hirap na hirap akong tanggapin yung mga ganun kasi hindi ko rin naman naiintindihan na kung ano yung katawan ko, kung ano yung nangyayari sa katawan ko” he shared to LionhearTV.
As time passed by, Matt said he learned to accept his body and love himself.
Lozano said, “I think minahal ko lang talaga yung sarili ko. Sobrang in-accept ko kung ano ako kasi before naman talaga payat ako dahil todo workout ako dati.”
Years ago, he maintained to have a lean figure but he started to gain weight eventually and it forced him to take a break in showbiz.
He recalled, “Nung lumaki yung weight ko dun ako medyo nawala sa showbiz. Nag-stop ako for ilang years. I think four years din yata. So that’s when I started to focus more on my music.”
Thankfully, he discovered his passion for music and it helped him regain his self-confidence. He shared that he does song covers and regularly performs in bars.
“Nung tumutugtog ako, dun ko lang naramdaman na maybe walang pakialam ang mga tao sa weight ko because tinutugtugan ko sila. Doon ako nagkaroon ng confidence sa weight ko kasi binibigay ko naman palagi yung best ko when it comes to performing.”
He recently released his self-penned quarantine song Kwarto and surprised his fans with his performance in the online music show Spotlight Music Sessions.
Matt was also unveiled as one of Bench’s newest endorsers. He was featured in the latest campaign for men’s “extended sizes,” which aims to celebrate “more sizes, more choices, for everybody and every body.”
He will give life to the character of Robert “Big Bert” Armstrong in the highly-anticipated show Voltes V Legacy.
Lozano gained fame after winning Eat Bulaga’s singing competition Spogify ft. Singing Baes in 2016.
