Zanjoe Marudo: Mariel is my lucky charm

By Manila P. Santos
Source: beta.abs-cbn.com

Zanjoe Marudo is on a career high nowadays; he’s busy taping for the upcoming fantaserye Dyosa and preparing for the US tour of the Coverboys. He is also being paired onscreen with his real life ladylove Mariel Rodriguez in Mars Ravelo’s Komiks Presents: Varga. "Sobrang mararamdaman mo na mahal na mahal niya yung trabaho niya, lalo na itong Varga. Na gustong gusto niya yung ginagawa niya. Alam naman natin na napaka-arte nung tao (laughs), pero ito, tinitiis niya talaga. Kahit na mainit at nasa pangit na lugar tinitiis niya lahat kasi ito yung gusto niyang gawin. Binibigay niya talaga lahat. And makikita naman yun pag pinalabas na eh," he says proudly of Mariel.

Although the pair have never officially admitted to being a couple, their mutual attraction is an obvious fact to everyone in showbiz. "Si Mariel yung tao na ‘pag naging close mo siya, ‘pag naging kaibigan mo, wala ka ng hahanapin pa. Parang sobra-sobra pa. Siya yung tao na suwerte mo ‘pag nakilala mo siya. Yun yung feeling," he relates.

With regards to making any concrete plans for the future, the hunky model stresses he is at a different point in his life right now and marriage is not a priority. "Siguro later pa. Madami pa akong gustong gawin. Madami pa akong gustong patunayan. Siguro ‘pag naramdaman ko na yung pagdating ng panahon na yun, saka na lang. Hindi mo rin alam eh. Panahon din ang magsasabi. Kasi kahit yung mga hindi naman artista, ‘pag nasa peak ka ng career mo, mali naman kung bigla kang titigil o maliligaw ng landas. So panahon lang din ang magsasabi," he explains.

When asked how he would be able to separate his personal from his professional life now that he and Mariel are going to be working together for a longer time, Zanjoe quickly dismisses this as a non-issue. "Yung mga tampuhan, yung mga wala naman na kuwentang tampuhan yun eh. Hindi pa naman nangyayari yung ganun na grabeng tampuhan. Hindi naman siguro mangyayari. Yun nga yung mga problema ng mga artista, ang hirap gawin yung taping ‘pag magkasama sa trabaho kasi nasasama yung personal [life]. Kaya ako na rin yung parang nagpaliwanag [sa kanya] na ‘pag sa trabaho, trabaho talaga," he concludes.

But Zanjoe is quick to point out that when he’s on the set, the vibe is strictly professional so there’s not much of a chance for personal conflicts. "Hindi naman ako nahihirapan [kasama siya] kasi pag nasa trabaho ako, wala lahat yun. Hindi ko iisipin na kahit ano. ‘Pag on the set, magkatrabaho talaga kami," he says.

During the press conference for Varga held last July 28 at ABS-CBN, Zanjoe also proudly announced to the media what Mariel is in his life. "Si Mariel ang lucky charm ko kasi simula nung nakilala ko siya, sunod-sunod na yung projects ko," he declares. In Varga, Zanjoe plays a popular yet forgetful model who dates all the girls in his neighborhood but eventually falls in love with sexy superhero Varga. This is the first time Zanjoe and Mariel will be doing a series together although they’ve done an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya.

Catch Varga as it premieres this Saturday, August 2 after Cinema FPJ. For more updates on Varga, check out www.abs-cbn.com.

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