Former Kapamilya TJ Trinidad stars in his first project as a Kapuso via the Pinoy adaptation of the classic adventures of Zorro. As  Ramon Pelaez, TJ is the main antagonist in the life of Richard Gutierrez's character, Antonio Pelaez and the masked hero Zorro.

At the grand launch of Zorro last March 16, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked TJ how he feels about working for the Kapuso network.

"Wow, it's been a great start!" he beamed. "Busy start. Pero everyone is very nice to me. Mabait yung staff, yung crew 'tsaka yung mga artista na nakakatrabaho ko. Lahat sila mabait at maganda yung pagtanggap sa akin."

This is not the first time that TJ has worked with GMA-7. The actor was in the cast of the movie The Promise (2007) from GMA Films and Regal Entertainment, starring Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin. Here in Zorro, TJ is reunited with Richard and Rhian Ramos.

"I had a sort of a taste of it na. Pero iba na 'to, e. Ito, taping na TV," he said.

How is it so far?

"Great, it's great! It's just been a like one, big...it's sort of an adventure. Not just the people you work with, the story of Zorro, and all that, it's been a great fun. Napakasaya ng taping. Napaka-challenging sa amin kasi kontrabida ako, e."

Zorro is being shot entirely at a Spanish-inspired location in Bagac, Bataan. TJ said that the whole cast is enjoying the set so much that they practically live there already.

"Oo, kasi isolated kami, e. Meron kaming compound na pinagte-taping-an. The owner actually built Spanish homes, really... Feeling namin nasa backlot kami ng Warner kasi walang pumapasok, kami lang. Parang sound stage siya na malaki, cobblestone... By the beach, by the mountain, 'tapos may sapang palay sa likod. It's amazing! Sa tuwing break, nangangabayo ako."

Aside from horseback riding, some of the cast members, including TJ, also have to learn fencing.

"Nakakapagod pala sa forearm," TJ said animatedly. "Akala ko sa legs, e, kasi lunging. Pero it's more tiring sa forearm kasi ito nga yung sword [shows his sword], medyo mabigat, e... What a great experience!"

Is this his first time to play a villain?

"Not really. [In] Hiram Na Mukha, I played ano there, e, crazy doctor with Heart Evangelista and Geoff Eigennman [who are also both with GMA-7 now]. So, this is different naman. It's a different approach. But I think I'm more evil here."

TJ added that his character was not patterned after any character in the Hollywood version of Zorro starring Antonio Banderas. But he pegged his character after Jim Caviezel's character in The Count of Monte Cristo.

What is the difference working with GMA-7 and with ABS-CBN?