Paulo Avelino’s role in ABS-CBN’s “Walang Hanggang Paalam” is replete with action as he plays an ex-agent named Emmanuel Salvador.
Executing the action scenes, Avelino stated in a Zoom conference on Saturday, Sept. 26, gives him a high as it allowed him to more or less display more body movements.
Avelino said he enjoyed his action routines not because it gives him a “macho image”.
“Hindi naman ako marunong sumayaw,” he admitted. (I don’t know how to dance).
“Parang feeling ko (I just feel) that it’s my way of showing a dance move or a dance step kasi (because) we follow routines, numbers.”
In the series, Angelica Panganiban and Avelino play former lovers Celine and Emman, who separate after he ends up in jail due to a wrongful conviction. Celine then falls in love with Anton (Zanjoe Marudo), a wealthy businessman.
To prepare for his role, Avelino had to gain weight.
“‘Yung preparations ko talaga is nagpa-chubby ako and sinasadya kong maging bulol sa set,” he said.
(My preparation included getting chubby and intentionally stammering on set.)
Long before the pandemic hit the country, many scenes had already been shot.
“Actually, nasimulan na namin ito during the start of the year. Very detailed naman ang script. Medyo nagbago lang ng konti dahil nagbago ng cast at nagbago ang situation,” he said.
(Actually, we began shooting this during the start of the year. The script is detailed. Some changes were made because there were changes in the cast and the situation also changed.)
Though he does not feel the character is similar to him, he finds some aspects of Emman relatable.
“Siguro may hawig lang at may anak naman po ako at alam ko ang pakiramdam. Iyon ang pinagbabasehan ko,” he said about his role.
(Maybe there is a likeness and [I relate] because I have a child and I know the feeling. That is what I based it on.)
Avelino has a son, Aki, with former girlfriend LJ Reyes.
The original concept for the action-drama series was to have it shot in different Southeast Asian countries. But with the pandemic, everything was halted.
“Ang daming countries sana na pupuntahan for this. Ang dami na ring kinausap na actors abroad,” Avelino shared.
(We were supposed to go to so many countries for this. There were many actors abroad who were tapped [for the project].)
But he’s grateful that despite the pandemic, the series still pushed through.
“Despite everything that happened, we’re still blessed. We’re working under very strict protocol which is pabor din sa amin (favors us),” he said.
“Sa amin nga ngayon, kung dati sasabihin nila na puyat lagi ang mga artista, inuumaga sa shootings, sa tapings, kami rito we only work for 12 hours a day.”
(For us, if before it was said that actors always stay up until the morning for shootings and tapings, now we only work for 12 hours a day.)
The pilot episode aired yesterday, Sept. 28 on the Kapamilya Channel and Kapamilya Online Live. NVG
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