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Richard
and Katrina bring Japanese animé to life
‘Lupin’ is James Bond, ‘Ocean’s
11,’ and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ rolled
into one |
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THERE’S
no stopping Richard Gutierrez. |
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After
making network history by playing the half-man, half-bird
Aguiluz in GMA’s Mulawin (credited as one of
the shows that turned GMA into the number one network
in the Philippines), Richard followed the high with
Sugo, playing yin and yang twins with a progeny of
heroes and villains, before hoisting and sustaining
TV ratings with the recent Captain Barbell.
In the new series Lupin, based on a Japanese animé
show, Richard gets rid of the stretch suit to don
one of a less lurid kind, and puts the feathers in
storage for sharper, snappier duds. Richard plays
the title character, a top-notch thief by day, Robin
Hood by night, and in between, a fighter, a lover,
and one truly stylish guy. |
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Meet
Andre Lupin |
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In
keeping with the show’s sleek look, Richard
will showcase the clothes of top Filipino designers.
Randy Ortiz heads the style crew. Joey Samson and
Ivarluski Aseron will also create clothes. “My
personal stylist, Jerry Santos is also part of the
team,” Richard says. Surrounded by the best,
Richard recalls how they’d discuss his look
for certain scenes. “When I do a stunt scene,
I wear something very light or stretch fabrics, so
that I can move easier.”
He admits that after doing roles that are based on
fantasy, “I love the idea of being human!”
He also described the clothes of his character as
“very Ocean’s 11, so James Bond.”
It was also a bonus that Bond-like, he would be surrounded
by beautiful women.
And yet it’s not all about the flash.
“If you view the show, you will discover how
Lupin redeems himself. You will know that he is kind-hearted
and he genuinely cares for people. (Viewers) will
discover that he is mentally equipped for crises management.
He handles his problems in a logical manner. He thinks
and weighs things before he does something. When he
is angry, he does not go berserk. He thinks well,
plots everything and assesses the situation at hand
before he makes a move.”
Richard credits director Mike Tuviera for coaxing
many of these qualities out of him. “I am taking
my skills as an actor to a different level. I am having
fun, I am enjoying every minute on how to flesh out
and mold my character,” he says.
Unlike the animated series, Richard’s Lupin
has been invested with redeeming qualities. “I
do not just steal for fun. The anime character steals
just for the heck of it….
“Honestly, more than the fashion sense and the
action sequences, I want to inspire my fans, that
there is something better in life; they can always
recreate themselves.”
He adds, “For me, the fact that you get to inspire
a person to become better, to look at life more positively,
I think that is another fulfillment for me as an actor
because I was able to initiate change.” |
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Bad
Girl Ashley |
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Katrina
Halili supports Richard as one of Lupin’s two
sidekicks, Ehra Madrigal as Brigette the computer
hacker and Boy II Quizon as Castor, king of small
time cons.
As Ashley, Katrina is a military school graduate,
a master of disguise, and certified sharpshooter.
“I act as the pawn to our enemies. I tease them
first and when they give in to my seduction, that’s
the time I kick their asses. I am also a gun-toting
sexy momma,” she says about her role.
But it took time for Katrina to get used to all the
guns that was supposed to be her expertise. “Honestly,
I was uncomfortable at first… Takot kasi ako.
When the time came for me to really shoot, I just
could not do it. I was such a disappointment. Feeling
kasi nila, matapang ako because my roles were always
as the antagonist.”
When she felt that she was starting to get on the
nerves of her colleagues, “nahiya na ako,”
she relates. “Somehow, my being ashamed gave
me the adrenaline to pull the trigger. When my trainers
sensed that I already conquered my fear, they trained
me to fire an armalite and a shotgun. It was fun.”
Katrina says she also liked that her character is
strong and brave. “She is not just a bombshell,
she is also very intelligent and scheming.”
She likens her role to that of Angelina Jolie’s
in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
“Astig, di ba?” she says and adds: “It
is such a relief to say goodbye to my fantaserye roles
wherein I was always the bitchy third party. Argo
(Dennis Trillo in Majika) and Aquano (Dingdong Dantes
in Atlantika) avoided me like a plague already; they
even spat on my face so many times but I was still
obsessed with them, di ba nakakainis! To portray the
role of an empowered woman is wonderful!”
Aside from Halili and Madrigal, two other women will
capture Lupin’s heart: Angeli Vlillacer (Abby
Cruz), for whom Lupin wanted to turn his back on his
dark life; and Avril Legarda (Rhian Ramos), the sole
heiress and orphaned daughter of a wealthy businessman.
Also part of the powerhouse cast are Tirso Cruz III,
adoptive father and master thief; Ara Mina as Sister
Anna, Lupin’s friend and spiritual adviser;
Ramon Christopher as Perez, Clavio’s partner;
Ricky Davao as Master Moon Ravel, Lupin’s nemesis;
Polo Ravales as Josh, Avril’s long time suitor;
LJ Reyes as Elaine, Avril’s best friend; and
Janno Gibbs, as Inspector Clavio, the police officer
dead-set on capturing Lupin in spite of his Houdini
skills.
With fast cars, faster women, action sequences galore
and Richard exuding a sexy bad-boy vibe, Lupin is
poised to get viewers glued to their small screens
every day for a jolt of high-flying adventure. |
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