Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion talk about their on- and off-camera relationship

Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion talk about their on- and off-camera relationship

Elyas Isabelo Salanga

Sunday, August 24, 2008
01:17 AM


The Kapuso and Kapamilya Network's pride Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion, respectively, guested together live on Startalk for the first time yesterday, August 23, to talk about their much-awaited movie For the First Time and the relationship that strengthened between the two of them while filming in Greece.



Startalk host Butch Francisco asked that since this is Richard and KC's first team-up-and KC's first movie, how did they both feel?



"It's been such a great experience talaga," Richard said and smiled in KC's direction. "Ang dami naming memorable moments and yung buong experience ng paggawa ng pelikula kasama si KC ay talagang enjoy and unforgettable. Masaya talaga."



KC agreed. "Ako, first movie ko ito talaga sa buhay ko, so lahat bago. Maganda na magkaibigan na kami [ni Richard] bago kami nag-umpisa kaya mas naging comfortable din ako. Ang sarap ng feeling kahit pagod, masarap na pagod. Yung Star Cinema po, sobrang mabait and inaalagaan kami talaga."



BEAUTY AND PRAISE FROM GREECE. Many beautiful scenes were shot in Greece. Now, why exactly did they shoot in Greece? Does the movie's story or its characters have any connection to the said country?



"Yes," Richard said. "Actually ang character ko, nakatira siya sa Greece and si Pia [KC's character], magbabakasyon doon ngayon at doon kami nag-meet. Dahil..."



"Dahil," KC continued, "meron po akong yaya. Ang yaya [played by Candy Pangilinan] ko may ka-love team sa Greece! Nakakatawa lang po siya talaga. Yung pagpunta namin sa Greece, part of the reason why nagpunta ako, dahil ang pen pal niya taga-Greece. So pumunta kami doon para magtagpo yung dalawa din. So, maraming rason."



Richard added, "At ang isa din reason ay napakaganda ng Greece, visually, talagang maganda siya. Makikita ninyo kung gaano siya kaganda."



Did they have any memorable experiences while shooting the movie?



"Madami, sobra!" Richard said. "Yung buong trip namin maganda. May eksena nga kaming ginawa na drama... Gusto ko muna sabihin bago ang lahat, e, si KC isang napakahusay na aktres. For her first movie, napakagaling niya. May eksena kaming ginawa na, nag-cut na si Direk [Joyce Bernal], si KC tuloy pa rin ang iyak. Nagha-hyperventilate na siya. Binigyan na namin siya ng tubig, e, hindi siya makawala doon sa eksena sa drama. Binuksan talaga ni Direk Joyce ang puso namin dito, e."



Since they mentioned Direk Joyce Bernal's name, how is she as a director?



"Napaka-relaxed niya," KC said, with a tinge of amazement in her voice. "Relaxed na alam na alam niya ang ginagagawa niya. Kung meron man siyang sabihin sa iyo na hindi mo usually na magugustuhan or something, parang at the end of the day, nagamit mo sa eksena. Bilang tao talaga, sobra siyang okay!"



"Masarap siyang katrabaho," Richard followed. "Dahil ‘pag work na, focused. Gusto niya na ilabas mo ang totoo at yun ang gusto ko kay Direk Joyce. Natulungan niya kami na ilabas ang totoo."



KC added, "Kung ano ang maganda, kung ano ang hindi masyadong maganda, masaya, malungkot—talagang ginagawa kang tao talaga. Ako, sobra akong guarded noong umpisa kasi nga lumaki ako sa mata ng lahat. Parang, tinitignan ako ng lahat. Parang yung ano na lang meron ako't gusto itago sa sarili ko. So, medyo nahirapan ako noong first few days. And then, ngayon with my experience ko with Direk Joyce, e, wala na akong pakialam. Kahit ano'ng ipagawa sa akin, okay lang!"



SUPPORT FROM THEIR FAMILY. Richard, being the son of showbiz parents Eddie Gutierrez and Anabelle Rama, and KC, being the daughter of Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion, what kind of support do they get from their families?



Richard was the first to answer. He said, "Sa lahat naman ng bagay naging supportive ang buong family ko, they are always there for me. Sila din ang sandalan ko ano man ang mangyari."



"At," KC thoughtfully added, "yung experience din po ng mga magulang namin, e, siyempre binahagi din nila sa amin kung ano ang natutunan din nila simula noong kasing-edad namin sila. So, naiintindihan nila ang pinagdadaanan [namin]."



Since they're the kids of local tinseltown's box-office movie holders, do they feel the pressure that they need to surpass their parents?



"Iba naman po ang generation namin at iba yung naging experience namin sa naging experience nila," KC explained. "Iba naman po ang mabibigay namin din sa mga tao na sana magustuhan nila. Siyempre, may namana din kami from our parents. Pero siyempre, may kaunting mabibigay din kami na bago para sa kanila."



"And kami," Richard added, "we just give our best. We did our best for this project."



SUPPORT FROM EACH OTHER. To Richard and KC, how do they show their support for one another?



Richard said, "Well ako, I did my part since si KC, first movie niya ito. Pareho naman kami, actually pareho kaming may pressure. Siyempre ang laki ng pressure na galingan namin, we have to do our best, we have to give our all. So, nandoon kami para sa isa't isa kaya I want to thank KC na naging supportive talaga siya sa akin at ginawa niya parang napaka comfortable ang set at inalagaan niya kami—hindi lang ako—kami."



"Pareho din ang masasabi ko kay ‘Chard," KC followed. "Lahat po ng maririnig ninyong magaganda about him ay totoo—bilang tao, professionally—totoo talaga."



Did they feel uncomfortable with one another when the demand of their team-up piled up to the extent that it affected their relationship as friends?



KC said, "Siyempre pagdating sa trabaho, ang support namin sa isa't isa bilang dalawang actors, bilang magkatrabaho—isang Kapuso at isang Kapamilya."



Richard added, "Masasabi ko na throughout the whole experience na nagpunta kami sa Greece, nag-travel kami together, binuksan ang mga puso namin sa harap and likod ng camera, at talagang naging malalim ang samahan namin ni KC. Para sa akin, unforgettable experience ‘yon."