As the manipulative charmer David Ilustre, Zanjoe Marudo is into what could be the greatest challenge of his career, recalling his preparations for his character in “The Broken Marriage Vow.”

“Siguro noong hindi pa kami nagsisimula, ‘yung preparation. ‘Yun ang pinaka-naging-challenge sa akin, pinakanahirapan ako kasi kailangan kong aralin ang character ni David. Kailangan kong mag-research about male ego, alam mo ‘yung pagiging narcissist ng tao,” Marudo said when pressed about the difficulty of is role during the online press conference for the TV series last Tuesday, Jan. 11.

(Perhaps when we were not starting yet, during the preparation. That was what was most challenging for me, I found that point as the hardest because I needed to study the character of David. I needed to research about the male ego, you know, how a man can be narcissist.)

Aside from reading, Marudo also got a thing or two from male friends who had the same experiences as his character.

“Nakipagkuwentuhan din ako sa mga lalaki, sa mga kaibigan ko na may experience na ganyan. Nag-research din ako kung possible ba talagang ma-in love ang lalaki sa dalawang tao,” he said.

(I also discussed with men, with friends who had experiences like that. I also researched if it is really possible for a man to fall in love with two women.)

Marudo thinks that a guy can possibly fall in love with two women.

zanjoe marudo ig — Zanjoe Marudo. Image: Instagram/@onlyzanjoemarudo

“Sa show na ito, puwede, possible kasi emosyon siya. Isa siyang emosyon na hindi mo mapipigilan,” he said.

(In this show, it’s possible, because it’s an emotion. It is an emotion which you can’t stop.)

“Nasa sa iyo na ‘yon kung paano mo iha-handle, kung ano ang magiging desisyon mo kapag napunta ka sa ganoon. Kung itutuloy mo ba o iisipin mo ang mga taong masasaktan mo o matatapakan mo. So, nasa tao talaga,” Marudo said.

(It’s up to you how you will handle it, what your decision will be when you get into that situation. If you will push through with it or will you think about the people you will hurt or you will step on. So, it depends on the person, really.)

Directed by Concepcion Macatuno and Andoy Ranay, the ABS-CBN TV series is the Philippine adaptation of the hit BBC series “Doctor Foster.”

The series will premiere first on the iWantTFC app (iOs and Android) and on iwanttfc.com on Jan. 22, two days ahead of its TV broadcast. Fans of the original series who are looking forward to the Philippine adaptation can also check out the TV broadcast starting Jan. 24 at 8:40 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, TV5 and A2Z, and via Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, iWantTFC and TFC. JB

Bea Alonzo keeps a Zanjoe Marudo gift — a Michael Cacnio art piece — in her home