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'Hello, Stranger': Actual strangers Tony and JC talk onscreen romance, overcoming awkward stage

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Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/06/23/20200623-hello-stranger.jpg"/><figcaption>&#x27;Hello, Strangers&#x27; co-stars Tony Labrusca and JC Alcantara recall filming the digital series during a virtual conference on Tuesday. <em>Black Sheep</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — &quot;Natakot ako,&quot; was how JC Alcantara described the moment he clinched the lead role in a boys&#x27; love (BL) series, opposite an actor whom he had only known then as &quot;the &#x27;Glorious&#x27; guy,&quot; famous for his daring portrayals.</p><p>Alcantara, 22, is paired with Tony Labrusca, 24, in Black Sheep&#x27;s &quot;Hello, Stranger,&quot; due to premiere via the ABS-CBN film outfit&#x27;s YouTube and Facebook pages on Wednesday night.</p><p>&quot;Glorious&quot; is the 2018 iWant Original film that made waves on social media for its steamy scenes — a project that marked Labrusca&#x27;s big break and which has since become identified with the actor.</p><p>When Alcantara auditioned for &quot;Hello, Stranger,&quot; he wasn&#x27;t yet told that the project would be a BL series, or that Labrusca was on board as the other lead actor, he recalled during a virtual conference on Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;Kaya nagulat ako noong sinabi sa akin na ang magiging ka-love team ko si Tony Labrusca! Alam naman natin si Tony Labrusca is the &#x27;Glorious&#x27; guy,&quot; he said, prompting a hearty laugh from his onscreen partner.</p><p>&quot;Daring scenes &#x27;yung mga ginagawa niya. Natakot ako. Alam mo &#x27;yung feeling na, &#x27;O, si Tony Labrusca, daring scene, laplap scene!&#x27; Iyon ang naisip ko sa sarili ko.&quot;</p><p>Alcantara is a relative newcomer to showbiz. A string of TV ads landed him a supporting role in the 2018 teleserye &quot;Halik.&quot; His performance secured him further opportunities, notably becoming a member of the 2019 batch of ABS-CBN&#x27;s Star Magic Circle.</p><p>His initial apprehension of matching Labrusca&#x27;s &quot;Glorious&quot; track record, he soon realized, was unfounded, as he got to read the full script and was briefed by the creative team. &quot;Gumaan &#x27;yung pakiramdam ko,&quot; he said.</p><div><strong>&#x27;PAANO NA KUNG PERSONAL?&#x27;</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZ89oXMn8o8?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>A digital series written by Patrick Valencia (&quot;Kasal,&quot; &quot;Always Be My Maybe&quot;) and helmed by Petersen Vargas (&quot;2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten&quot;), &quot;Hello, Stranger&quot; follows the story of Xavier (Labrusca) and Mico (Alcantara), students who are assigned to work together virtually during the coronavirus lockdown.</p><p>Labrusca, who was cast in the project before Alcantara, admitted he at first was not convinced they would have onscreen chemistry; that is, until they did get to act together.</p><p>&quot;To be honest, hindi ko talaga makita na bagay kami. Ini-imagine ko talaga sa utak ko,&quot; Labrusca said. &quot;I was surprised. When I saw JC play his role, honestly, I was really amazed.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Sobrang perfect ng character niya para sa kaniya. Iyon din &#x27;yung sinabi ko kay Direk noong nag-cha-chat kami. Na-amaze talaga ako. Kitang-kita ko na binibigay ni JC lahat para sa project na &#x27;to. Super respect him.&quot;</p><p>Shooting their first few scenes was admittedly awkward for Alcantara. He explained that while they filmed from their respective homes, their interactions were in real time, through video call.</p><p>&quot;Pag nagbabatuhan na kami ng lines, awkward para sa amin, kasi sobrang daming sweet lines. &#x27;Pag nagbabatuhan na kami, palagi kami tumatawa. Nakakahiya rin,&quot; he said.</p><p>In an apparent teaser of what to expect later on, Alcantara added: &quot;Paano na kung personal na nangyari &#x27;yun? Abangan na lang natin. Nakaka-excite din para sa akin.&quot;</p><p>Labrusca surmised that their situation of being actual strangers prior to &quot;Hello, Stranger&quot; has helped in lending truth to their portrayals. He pointed out that in his previous lockdown project, the iWant film &quot;Love Lockdown,&quot; he self-filmed, with no interaction with other cast members.</p><p>&quot;Baka this is perfect that we&#x27;re doing this through Zoom, kaming lahat,&quot; he said, referring to other cast members Vivoree Esclito, Gillian Vicencio, Patrick Quiroz, and Miguel Almendras.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re all getting to know each other, and it has its own type of chemistry to it. It&#x27;s perfect for me and JC&#x27;s character, kasi this is really how we got to know each other: online. It&#x27;s like true to life.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hW_hhZL_Wtc?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>"It's perfect for me and JC's character, kasi this is really how we got to know each other: online. It's like true to life."</p>

"It's perfect for me and JC's character, kasi this is really how we got to know each other: online. It's like true to life."

'Hello, Stranger': Actual strangers Tony and JC talk onscreen romance, overcoming awkward stage

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'Hello, Stranger': Actual strangers Tony and JC talk onscreen romance, overcoming awkward stage

Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 23, 2020 08:35 PM PHT

Read More:

Hello Stranger

Black Sheep

JC Alcantara

Tony Labrusca

BL

boys' love

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