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EXCLUSIVE: Adrian Lindayag “You can live a normal life, even with HIV”

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Rhea Manila Santos

Aside from being part of the talented cast of the upcoming 9 Works Theatrical musical RENT, actor Adrian Lindayag also shared how the project  ties in with his advocacy about HIV and AIDS. The Kapamilya actor, who was last seen in the ABS-CBN teleserye Linlang, first tested positive for HIV in 2017. “Ang RENT ay tungkol sa mga artists or mga misfits, mga outsiders ng lipunan set in New York nung 1990s at karamihan sa kanila, hinaharap nila yung HIV and AIDS na nung panahon na yun it was a death sentence. Not much was known about this disease,” he explained. “But nowadays, it’s very different. You can live a normal life even with HIV.”Adrian shared a bit about the character he was playing in the production. “Ang role ko dito ay si Angel and she’s a young drag queen and she falls in love with this other main character na si Collins. Nakakakilig yung love story nila ni Angel,” he told <a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com">PUSH</a> in an exclusive interview during a media gathering. <div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2021/8/14/fresh-scoops/adrian-lindayag-recalls-being-a-closeted-gay-i-g-195197">READ: Adrian Lindayag recalls being a closeted gay: ‘I grew up hating myself’</a></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3FX3KEv_qh/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A223554.19999998808%2C%22ls%22%3A223397.19999998808%2C%22le%22%3A223401.10000002384%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="746" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>Before committing to daily rehearsals since the end of February for RENT, Adrian admitted he had to audition and fight for his role just like everyone else in the cast. “I auditioned just like everyone else. I sent in a video audition and then after that they called us back tapos it was another round of auditions. It was the same as everybody else, walang special dito,” he shared. It is Adrian’s second time to be part of a production of RENT. “I’ve done this show before in 2018 with Ateneo Blue Repertory. But that was a university production so this is way bigger. But I did the same role as Angel. Yung Angel sa RENT ang pinakauna kong acting experience,” he said. “So para siyang full circle moment. It’s like going back home for me.”He further recalled his beginnings as an artist, which were rooted in theatre.“Nagsimula talaga ako sa teatro. Pagkatapos ko gawin yung RENT sa Ateneo, nag-Rak of Aegis ako sa PETA. Saka pa lang ako na-discover ng mga boss sa ABS-CBN kaya ako nakasali sa Kadenang Ginto,” he revealed. It can be recalled that Adrian was a mainstay in the said teleserye, playing the brother of Beauty Gonzales and the uncle of Francine Diaz. “So ang laking bagay nito sa akin. Dito ako nagsimula. Dito ko na-discover yung pagmamahal ko sa pag-pe-perform, sa pagmamahal ko sa entablado, sa teatro, at sa pagkanta,” he explained. “Kaya I hope that you can all come to the theater and see this homecoming of mine. This is a very important role for me. If you miss watching The Boy Foretold by the Stars and Love Beneath the Stars, this is me in a role that is romantic and parang falling in love again.”<div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2024/4/4/adrian-lindayag-reveals-hiv-diagnosis-turning-pain-into-power-1916">READ: Adrian Lindayag reveals HIV diagnosis: ‘Turning pain into power’</a></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5X701zpdRE/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A223563.89999997616%2C%22ls%22%3A223397.19999998808%2C%22le%22%3A223401.10000002384%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>For those who have not watched a live theater performance yet, Adrian hopes to encourage them to give it a try through RENT. “Wala talagang nakakatalo pag nakakanuod ka ng mga totoong tao sa harapan mo ng live. Kasi yung energy sa teatro, kailangan mo ma-experience yun,” he shared.  “Siguro, similar siya sa pag nuod ng mall show pagka nakakita ka ng artista sa harapan mo, iba yung kind of energy na binibigay nila sa ‘yo,” he continued. “And much more sa theater kasi it’s telling a story and theater is full of talented people and it’s not just the cast or the performers, but yung set design, yung costume design, yung sounds. Everybody here sings beautifully. So yun yung kailangan niyong abangan.”“And everybody knows the song “Seasons of Love” and you’re going to hear it here. It came from this musical RENT. Nothing beats live theater talaga. Yung experience of being in a theater and watching talented people perform in front of you. It’s just magic!” he admitted. Watch Adrian Lindayag in Jonathan Larsen’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical RENT starting April 19. Also starring Markki Stroem, Guji Lorenzana, Reb Atadero, Lance Reblando, Ian Pangilinan, Jasmine Fitzgerald, Justine Pena, Anthony Rosaldo, Mica Fajardo, Fay Castro, and many more. Directed by Robbie Guevarra by 9Works Theatrical.

RENT the musical actor Adrian Lindayag talks about why Pinoy fans should give theater watching a try through his latest musical.