Sid Lucero talks about starring in his first major comedy role in the film 'Toto'

Kilala ang aktor at “Alyas Robin Hood” star na si Sid Lucero na isang magaling na dramatic actor. Pero pinatunayan niya na mayroon din siyang talento sa pagpapatawa nang bumida siya sa award-winning comedy film na “Toto.”

Ito ang kauna-unang major comedy role ni Sid at kaagad na napansin ng iba't ibang international film festival. Kabilang na rito ang 19th Los Angeles Comedy Festival, kung saan nagwagi siya bilang Best Actor at itinanghal naman ang pelikula na bilang Best Foreign Film.

Natanggap din ng pelikula ang Audience Choice for Best Film mula sa 39th Asian American International Film Festival, at ang Special Jury Prize mula naman sa 41st Metro Manila Film Festival.

Kabilang rin ang “Toto” sa official selection sa Asian American International Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Palm Beach International Film Festival, at Rome Independent Film Festival.

Kasunod ng hindi matatawarang tagumpay ng pelikula, inamin ni Sid na hindi madali ang bumida sa isang comedy film.

Aniya sa isang panayam nitong Martes, “Hindi siya ganoon kadali because when you do a variation of one thing for too long, doing something else is hard. It's hard not to scratch an itch, right? Especially if you're asked to not scratch. It's hard kasi nakasanayan mo na. But that's the point, that's the challenge. That's why we did it.”

“The whole time we were doing the film, nangangapa talaga ako sa dilim. But I had everybody there to support my character, literally and figuratively. The way JP packaged the whole thing, it made it easier. Not that it's easy, it was hard. But because of everybody else, it was a lot easier,” dagdag pa ng aktor.

Isang malaking tulong raw na napapalibutan siya ng magaling na cast, na siyang tumulong sa kaniya upang mabigyang-buhay si Toto.

Sa katunayan, hindi raw magagaling na komedyante ang pinaghugutan ng inspirasyon ni Sid kung hindi ang kaniyang mga kasamahan sa pelikula, na itinuturing niyang magagaling na artista at komedyante.

Ayon kay Sid, “Without the way may co-actors were doing their jobs, I wouldn't know where to begin. Everybody was such a caricature. If you're going to be a caricature together with everybody, it might be too tiring or suffocating. I really based my character a lot from them.”

Kabilang sa mga artistang bida sa pelikula sina Thou Reyes, Blake Boyd, Mara Lopez, Neil Ryan Sese, Bembol Roco, Bibeth Orteza, Liza Diño, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, Jelson Bay, Che Ramos, Marnie Lapus, Raul Montesa, Carlos Cruz, David Christopher, Lorenz Martinez, at Sheila Valderrama.

“Comedy is a totally different art. People who do comedy, their way of thinking is different, their point of view is different, and that's what makes it funny,” pahayag ng Kapuso actor.

'Filipino reality'

Maituturing mang comedy ang “Toto,” naniniwala si Sid na maraming aral ng tunay na buhay ang mapupulot ng mga manonood.

Isasabuhay sa pelikula ang kuwento ni Toto, isang Pinoy room service attendant na gagawin ang lahat upang makakuha ng U.S. visa at matupad ang kaniyang mga pangarap sa ibang bansa. 

Kuwento ng bida, “I really don't like this guy. I don't agree with him, but he's really admirable. Mayroon siyang goal, and whatever it takes, he will get to that goal. It's admirable. Problem is, he doesn't notice that he's stepping on other people in the process.”

“That's what makes it funny, because he comes from a place that is so pure that he doesn't see what's happening. When he does, he steps up. I look up to the guy. And he made it,” dagdag pa niya.

Binigyang-pugay man sa ibang bansa, alay daw ng buong cast at crew ng pelikula ang kanilang obra sa mga kapwa-Pilipino.

Ayon kay Sid, “On a more serious note, it talks about a not-so-nice side yet accepted by us, Filipinos, because of the way we have evolved as a society. It's a reminder that it's not supposed to be this way. That there are proper ways of doing things. It takes up a really serious and hard-to-admit fact, but because of the way it was packaged, it's more easy to swallow... Independent cinema is about us, Filipinos. Mga kuwento natin that are beautiful and, at the same time, not-so-nice.”

Matapos na mapanood sa iba't ibang bahagi ng mundo, mapapanood na ang “Toto” sa mga sinehan sa Pilipinas simula sa darating na Miyerkules, November 23. -- FRJ, GMA News