Friendship is a journey that calls for adventure, and for Paolo, Kaye, and Patrick, their bond will always be worth reliving and reuniting for
The subject of friendship is not a walk in the park, much more in the world of show business. Time and again, headlines prove that. Needless to say, the industry is also a place where paths meet and genuine bonds thrive. And if we are looking for actors whose friendship has made it after all these years, it’s one that Paolo Contis, Patrick Garcia, and Kaye Abad share. The testament? Their newest Netflix film, A Journey.
In a MEGA Entertainment exclusive, the three actors opened up on reliving their decades-long chemistry while offering their audience a fresh film with nostalgia from fictional and real relationships.
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Where it all began
If the younger generations will watch A Journey, they will be introduced to Paolo, Patrick, and Kaye through the film. But if they would do further research, a Google search here on an inquiry from their older relations would tell them, their friendship started in 1999 with Tabing Ilog.
Although the three actors have continued their respective acting journeys until today, the magic of the series always sparks a conversation for them from time to time. With a show that ran for four years with more than 200 episodes, there are a lot of stories to be shared about it.
“Umabot sa point na ‘yung writer nakalimutan ipadala ‘yung script,” Kaye recalls, laughing. “Hindi na siya natutulog!” Patrick chimes in as the actress revealed that they had to improvise their own lines. It was an honest mistake, with a confusion on the days.
For Paolo, it was the feel of their weekly Wednesday tapings that would cover even until Thursday lunch time that he treasured the most. “Memorable siya kasi mahirap siya, [at] hindi mo siya matatapos o magagawa kung bad trip ‘yung set. Naachieve natin,” he muses.
Patrick, meanwhile, revered his first on-screen kiss as his memorable moment from the show. With whom? With no less Paolo Contis. “‘Yung pilot [episode,] I had to give him CPR because in the scene, I punched him. I had to revive him supposedly,” he explains.
The feel of friendship
In Barbie’s Cradle’s words with series’ opening song, “Ang ilog, hantungan niya’y pangako ng inyong pagbabalik.” And indeed, more than two decades later, three of the main cast returned, but not as Eds, Badong, and James. They relived the magic as Shane, Bryan, and Tupe—their beloved characters in the Netflix movie.
While A Journey is equally a milestone for all of them, they all had qualms on the project—a doubt that they never had with their friendship, thankfully. Kung romance na love story, medyo mag-aalangan ako,” the actress admits.
Patrick, despite his many years in show business, knew that at the end of the day, acting was like a muscle that needed constant and consistent training. “It’s been four years since I acted, and this is my first project after four years,” he opens up. Through and through, he is still an actor. But throughout the years, he also became a devoted family man. “Makakasabay ba ako sa kanila? Makasabay man lang ako sa galing nila. May fear getting into the character,” he shares honestly.
If you know Paolo, at least with how he is on accepting projects and approaching interviews, he likes adventure. He lives for the thrill. A Journey, in a way, gave that to him as the film’s actor and co-producer. Explaining his thought process in creating the picture, “It’s because of Mavx Productions. They’ve been very open about it, to co-produce films whenever I do films with them. Syempre, iba ‘yung feeling kapag nakataya ka. You take care of the project, ‘di mo pababayaan. Alam mo what’s at stake, e.”
A Journey worth remembering
“When we talked about the movie itself, it’s a friendship film. Wala ka na ibang kukunin. Tabing Ilog, automatic. Kaye was already there. When we read the script, we felt [the role] was for Patrick. Gusto rin kasi naming makagawa ng nostalgic film, and ito ‘yung naging daan,” Contis says, speaking with his dual roles in the film in mind.
It was also an easy yes for both Abad and Garcia because of each other and the subject of the movie. “Maganda ‘yung story. It’s about friendship,” the actress says. “Nung nalaman kong [silang] dalawa, okay na. [These] were my exact words—Make sure it’s Paolo and Kaye, or else I won’t do it,” the actor further recalls.
A Journey is a film that takes its audience to different stages of life, as much as it brings us to destinations like Australia. As the interview concluded, the cast answered the question their own characters had answers for in the film. What matters in traveling—the journey, the destination, or who you are with?
“It’s who you are with,” Kaye answers. “Kasi no matter what location you are in, kahit sa sala ‘yan, kahit gaano kasimple ‘yung lugar, kung sinong kasama mo, importante ‘yun.” Paolo added, “It doesn’t matter kung nasaan kayo, pero of course, mas masaya kung nagtatravel kayo magkakasama.” Echoing all their answers, Patrick finishes it off with a quote-worthy response. “It’s a journey of who you are with, heading to the same destination. Sama-sama tayo. ‘Till death do us part.”
Photography KIERAN PUNAY
Special thanks to SYRENE LONGASA
