When the advertisement of My Big Love started airing on ABS-CBN, a lot of people were unable to recognize the matinee idol who played the huge guy who cooked in front of the camera. It was actually Sam Milby who wore a fat suit to play the role of Macky, a 300-pound chef who eventually loses weight in order to catch the attention of his lady love.
Star Cinema offers a new kind of love triangle in its post-Valentine offering directed by Jade Castro (who helmed the poignant love story of casual employees in Endo). As its title implies, My Big Love is the story of a big (literally) guy torn between two beautiful ladies. Chef Macky pursues the socialite Nina (played by Kristine Hermosa) but he doesn't realize that his fitness instructor Aira (Toni Gonzaga) has fallen for him.
"It's the funniest role I've played so far," said Sam. "It's also the hardest because with the synthetic prosthetics that makes me look fat, I have to move my facial muscles to register all kinds of emotions as if it's the most natural thing to do. We used the same material as the one in Hollywood."
In fact, the maker of the prosthetics, Joe LaPenna told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an email interview that this process is similar to the way the fat suit was made for Adam Sandler in Click (2006). He also detailed the process of making prosthetics for My Big Love, which is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
Where did you study prosthetics?
I studied prosthetics for about 30 years now. Most of my training was on the job in the United States since I am American. I worked for some of the best people in the business and they taught me a lot of what I know and do now.
Why does it take two hours to put on the prosthetics of Sam? Could you describe the process?
The material I used, which is silicone, is also applied with a silicone adhesive; it is a catalyzed material, which means it uses a chemical process to solidify. The adhesive takes about six minutes to dry, and then when the prosthetic is adhered then I begin the blending process. This takes a long time because I do my best to seamlessly blend the edges into his skin so that I can get the most realism. Then when it is blended I have to begin the coloration process, this requires three to four bases colors, then up to nine different blending colors to achieve a realistic skin color. Then there is hair work, the hair guys have to add extensions to Sam's hair and that can take up to thirty minutes with it being applied and then styled.
How heavy does the fat suit weigh?
The suit itself isn't all that heavy. I think it weighs about 5 kilos. It was custom formed over a body form taken of Sam. I made the suit the same way the fat suit was made for Adam Sandler in Click. It was light but hugged Sam very snug and allowed him to move freely but still simulate the appearance of someone 303 pounds. It was entirely constructed using molded urethane foam rubber and nylon.
What is special about the silicone prosthetics used on Sam Milby?
What Star Cinema wanted was a convincingly realistic prosthetic make-up that could look and move like real skin; the silicone material I used achieves that. The way they normally do prosthetics here in the Philippines with latex and urethane rubber just does not come close to the realism that the material I use can create.
Are the prosthetics made here or in the United States?
The material was imported from the United States and I was the one who created the sculpture, molds, and finally the prosthetics for Sam.
Does Sam have complaints regarding the fat suit? How do you prevent him from overheating while inside the suit?
