Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin makapaniwala si David Licauco sa patuloy na pamamayagpag ng tambalan nila ni Barbie Forteza.
Nakilala ang tambalang David at Barbie, o mas kilala sa tawag na FiLay (Fidel at Klay), dahil sa hit prime-time series ng GMA-7 na Maria Clara at Ibarra.
Read: GMA-7's hit teleserye Maria Clara at Ibarra to stream on Netflix in April
Sa eksklusibong panayam ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) kay David sa contract signing niya para sa Universal Records nitong Martes, March 21, 2023, tinanong namin ang mga pagbabago sa kanyang buhay at showbiz career matapos ang kanilang teleserye.
Ayon kay David, "A lot has definitely changed from siguro yung attention from the people. Mas nakikilala na ako ngayon.
"Kasi before, kapag lumalabas ako, usually lang sinasabi ng mga tao na, 'Uy, artista yan,' ganun, and rare naman sila magpa-picture.
"Hindi naman totally rare, siguro mga ten percent lang yung nakakakilala sa akin sa labas.
"But now, it's different, kasi parang ninety percent na."
Read: David Licauco hopes to work with Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla
Itinuturing din ni David na malaking responsibilidad ang pag-angat ng kanyang karera lalo na't maraming fans ang ngayo'y humahanga sa kanya.
Saad niya, "Of course, it's a big responsibility for me kasi people look up to me now and they think na I'm the inspiration to them, so that's the big responsibility.
"I really have to work hard. Kasi before, parang seasonal lang naman yung showbiz jobs ko. So, definitely ang daming nagbago."
Naniniwala si David na ang nakukuha niyang kasikatan ngayon ay may malalim na dahilan.
Sabi niya, "I'm just trying my best to do everything kasi kahit pagod, kapag pagod ka ang dami mong naiisip, like, 'Kayo ko ba ito?' ganito-ganyan.
"Pero iniisip ko na lang na not everyone is given this opportunity, and I'm here because of the purpose.
"Maybe nilagay ako ni God dito para maging inspiration sa maraming tao."
DAVID QUITTING SHOWBIZ
Ibinahagi naman ng manager ni David na si Arnold Vegafria ang naunsyaming pagku-quit ng aktor sa showbiz.
Ayon kay Arnold, bago i-offer kay David ang Maria Clara at Ibarra ay nagbabalak na itong mag-quit sa showbiz at mag-focus na lang sa kanyang business.
Read: Will David Licauco court Barbie Forteza if she were single?
Dagdag pa raw rito na walang proyektong mai-offer ang Kapuso Network kay David kung saan siya ay lead role.
Lahad ni Arnold, "We're not supposed to accept yung project kasi we're looking na... nag-usap kami ni Joy na to get something naman na project na he can be a lead.
"It was well explained naman to us ng Entertainment program na it's a second lead but there's a twist. So, it's up to him kung paano niya ipo-portray yung role."
Ang "Joy" na tinutukoy ni Arnold ay ang assistant vice president for Talent Management ng Sparkle GMA Artist Center, na co-manager ng career ni David.
Pagpapatuloy ni Arnold, "I think he [David] delivers naman yung role na hinihingi, that's why yun pala yung place niya na yung portion nila ni Barbie.
"It was the people talaga yung nag-clamor.
"Nagkaroon ng little changes at nakita yung effort niya at nakita rin ng GMA yung changes niya when it comes to acting.
"Kaya siguro nakita ng audiences ngayon ito na dire-diretso na."
Kinumpirma naman ito ni David.
Aniya, "Yeah, prior to Maria Clara at Ibarra, I wanted to stop because of my business commitments.
"I felt like my love for business was taking over my love for acting."
Read: Most-talked about moments in Maria Clara at Ibarra
Ano ang nag-udyok sa kanyng manatili sa show business?
Sagot ni David, "Since I was given the role, kumbaga mas na-appreciate ko yung acting. Kumbaga, mas bumalik yung loob ko for it.
"So, I just find the right balance between business and acting.
"Siguro kasi I don't wanna waste any opportunity and people love me, and it's not nice naman kung bigla-bigla na lang na I just leave."
DAVID ON LOVE TEAM WITH BARBIE
Ang atensiyong nakukuha ni David mula sa publiko ay tinatanaw raw niyang utang na loob sa lahat ng writers, directors, at staff ng Maria Clara at Ibarra.
Kung hindi dahil sa ganda ng kuwento ng kanilang teleserye ay hindi raw niya makakamit ang popularidad na meron siya ngayon, lalo na't hindi pala ito ang unang pagkakataong nagsama sila ni Barbie sa isang proyekto.
Pagbabahagi ni David "I've worked with Barbie twice. One was Heartful Café and the second one was Mano Po.
"So, hindi siya ganun ka-hype like what we have in Maria Clara at Ibarra.
"Pero siguro, it's just parang, at the end of the day, it comes to the concept of the series, and I have to give credit to the writers and directors for, like, conceptualizing and directing a show like Maria Clara at Ibarra.
"Kasi, kaya naman siguro naging hit yung project at teamup namin because of them."
Read: David Licauco shifting to wholesome image: "Hindi na puwede yung hubad-hubad."
ON GIVING BACK LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM FANS
Sa likod ng tinatamasa ngayong tagumpay at kasikatan, hindi nakakalimot si David na magbalik-tanaw kung paano siya nagsimula.
Bukod sa pamilya, ang fans daw ang isa sa dahilan kung bakit gusto pa niyang mas lalong pagbutihan at galingan.
Aniya, "Mas naa-appreciate ko yung nga fans na sinasabi nila na they have anxiety, they have problems, and because of me nawawala yon. Mas naa-appreciate ko yung mga ganun.
"Most of the letters I receive from the fans are like that, na nawawala anxiety nila, they are inspired to go to school.
"Kasi ako, I wanna instill [to] my fans na...kasi ako, go-getter ako na person. I really work hard.
"I worked hard for everything that I have right now, so I wanna instill that to the fans as my goal as an actor."
Dagdag pa ni David: "I don't wanna waste this platform that I have.
"I just try my best to inspire others and make this world a better place to live in."