Muling mapapanood ang aktor na si Diether Ocampo sa kanyang home network na ABS-CBN. Isa si Diether sa leading men ni Angel Locsin sa pinakabagong teleserye sa primetime ng ABS-CBN simula sa April 27, ang Only You.
"I am really happy that we're being trusted to be part of such a big project like this. Although sobrang laki ng expectation ng ibang tao, I must say na they won't be disappointed," sabi ni Diet sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
Gagampanan ni Diether ang role ni Jonathan na isang chef at aspiring swimmer. Best friend din siya ni Angel bilang Jillian sa Only You. May pagkakaiba ba ang character na ginampanan niya sa original Korean version nito?
"I think because of sa casting, it's not a direct rip from the original," sagot ng aktor. "But more or less, yung pinaka-core ng story is there and it's tailored fit for the local characters. And I guess the role of Jonathan... May mga subplots kasi, e, since it's running for 13 weeks. I guess there's a need for a much broader storyline, not only for the character of Jonathan but probably the other actors as well."
Ano yung adjustments na ginawa niya since his last project, Iisa Pa Lamang, was a heavy drama, tapos itong Only You ay medyo light romance ang dating?
"It's really hard," sabi niya. "I find it difficult. I thought for a while na it will be much easier since romantic drama siya. But knowing that I am more comfortable doing heavy drama, parang I find it difficult adjusting to the much lighter genre. Kasi parang I have this tendency to overdramatize certain scenes because there's a certain formula for the Pinoy drama.
"So now, our director's very, very specific when it comes to making each particular scene. Kasi our aim here is to convey serious situations or issues without making them too heavy for the audience. But, of course, we make sure na hindi naman siya lumabas na trying hard na comedy, lalo na dun sa light na scenes. So, it's a very challenging project, especially if you're working for the first time with your fellow cast members," paliwanag ni Diether.
May pressure ba siya na nararamdaman na mas lalo pang pagalingin ang performance niya, lalo na't mahigpit ngayon ang labanan ng mga primetime series?
"No, for me kasi, in every project that I do, I don't look at it as a project na 'I have to do really good this time' because of the pressure involved. It's more of something which keeps everyone of us excited, kasi we're offering something new again to the viewers.
"Like we always say, it's a new concoction of teleserye na mas lighter kesa sa mga napapanood nila dati. Kasi a lot of people now are complaining because of the economic crisis, global recession, plus their personal problems. Parang we wanted something that people can watch every day that will help them feel better about their life."
TAPING IN KOREA. Kumusta naman yung experience niya shooting in Korea?
"It was very challenging kasi the weather was so bad. When we went there, ang in-expect namin springtime na, pero parang winter pa rin kasi sobrang lamig, as in negative-four degrees na yung temperature. We weren't prepared. Since we thought na springtime pa, we didn't bring much winter clothes for the whole trip!" sabay tawa ni Diet.
Dagdag niya, "Nagulat na lang kami na, 'Oh, my God, it's so freezing!' So we have no choice but to buy pa some clothes and warmers. It was fun though because we have very limited manpower. So kahit yung cast, we are very much involved in helping the crew. We have to carry some equipment. It was really fun, the entire experience of working with a Korean crew. It gave us a chance to bond with everyone."
Bakit may mga kasama silang Korean staff? Hindi naman co-production ng Korea at Pilipinas ang Only You, di ba?
"No, hindi siya co-production. Kasama lang namin sila for Korea. They are the ones who helped us shoot the scenes that we need from there. They were a big help in terms of mobilization, kasi there are a lot of protocols that we need to follow. They also made it easier for us to communicate with the locals since most people there hardly speak in English," sabi niya.
Anu-ano ang mga lugar na napuntahan niya sa Korea ?
"We went to a wonderful place called Nami Island. We also shot some scenes in Seoul for the cherry blossoms. We checked out some of the local parks and I think we also shot some scenes at a shopping center in the city. I just forgot what it's called. Tapos, meron din sa suburbs. So, talagang tinour namin buong Korea. So, maraming scenes na maipapakita talaga namin yung local culture nila. So I can't wait for people to see that, especially for those who are avid followers of Korean drama."
Ano yung pinaka-favorite niya na napuntahan?
"Nami Island is the best for me, kasi it's a very romantic place. It's a well-preserved island na pang nature-tripping especially for lovers. Dito rin shinoot yung Korean series called Winter Sonata. It's really beautiful."
WORKING WITH ANGEL. Ano naman ang kaabang-abang sa Only You?
"Ayun, people should watch out for Only You because it's something really refreshing. And I'm pretty sure that we have added all the good ingredients in this particular project, so that everyone will have something to look forward on weeknights. I hope people would really appreciate ABS-CBN's latest TV offering this summer."
How is it to work with Angel for the first time?
"I am happy that it turned out well. Even for a short period of time, you get to know each other very well to the point that we learned to trust each other; not only as friends but even as co-actors. Sometimes if you're working with someone na hindi mo pa nakatrabaho dati, medyo may ilang factor pa 'yan, e. But you know, we were able to disregard that. We're very supportive of each other," saad ni Diether tungkol sa kanyang bagong leading lady.
Ano ang impression niya kay Angel?
"I know that she's very hardworking. May pagka-hyper 'yan, e, madaldal... She's like a kid with her endless curiosity and need to explore. Being her senior, I was there to give her advice on a lot of things. Good thing she listens naman."
Ano ang nagustuhan niya kay Angel?
"She's very generous. I see how she deals with the staff and crew. She has the initiative to volunteer and help. So, I can see na, 'Wow, this person knows how to deal with all kinds of people.' She really goes out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable."
What about kay Sam Milby na ka-love triangle niya kay Angel sa Only You?
"Sam is really fun to work with. I am also surprised that we have so many things in common. We have the same passion when it comes to sports. We love to ride motorcycles. Halos pareho, same type of music... Sam is the type of person who likes to play around. Sometimes, the girls [Angel, Iya Villania, and Dimples Roman] find him like a regular joker. Yeah, parang siya yung pinaka-baby sa group," nakangiting sabi ni Diet.