Kiko on being compared to Coco and Ruru: “That’s a hard thing because they’re doing so well in their own lane”
The VIVA TV-TV5 action afternoon series “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa,” headlined by Kiko Estrada, is set to move to the primetime slot starting this June.
A specific timeslot and date of the move are yet to be disclosed but as early as now, Kiko has been busy promoting the exciting news, starting with a media conference held today, May 22, at the VIVA office.
During the Q&A, Kiko was asked if he feels pressure now that his action series is moving to primetime, moreso joining the league of action shows headlined by Coco Martin and Ruru Madrid.
Coco headlines “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” which also airs on TV5 while Ruru plays the title role in “Black Rider.”
Kiko admits, “There’s always gonna be pressure.”
However, Kiko believes in their material so much, which is a TV adaptation of a Carlo J. Caparas movie headlined by Rudy Fernandez.
He continues, “Basta maganda yung materyal kasi para sa akin, it started with a good material and then sobrang sakto na magaling yung direktor namin, magaling mga writer, magaling mga producer and we deliver.
“It has to work in all those aspects and then, di ba, it works? And then, now, we go to primetime and it continues to be that so the pressure is for the content or output of the story to be the same.”
Kiko acknowledges that Coco and Ruru are already established names in the action arena. As for him, he just wants to continue working on what he has already established for his show.
He says, “That’s a hard thing because they’re doing so well in their own lane, I just try to be my own self, let’s do this.
“This character requires Muay Thai and guns so let’s be the best at that first and yung stunt team naman, they’ll train you and then parang choreo siya e, it’s like a dance with action.”
In fact, Kiko enjoys doing action so much that he does his own stunts.
“I do most of the stunts. Actually, I tell you not, [to the producers] do I not ask to do my stunts?
“Pero they have to limit kasi on the second day, I rode in so I understand na that was a hassle kasi we have to micromanage the next scenes. Yun ang problema, kailangan nila ako kontrolin!”
But going back to Coco and Ruru, Kiko has one wish for the three of them: “I want to have a movie with all of them together [and do something] like ‘The Expendables!’”
“Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa,” a remake of a movie first headlined by the late Rudy Fernandez, currently airs at 2:30 p.m. after “Eat Bulaga!” on TV5. It also headlines Gardo Versoza, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Sid Lucero, Rhen Escano, and Sarah Lahbati. The show is directed by Albert Langitan and Roderick Lindayag.
Kiko as a VIVA star
It was during the pandemic when Kiko decided to sign up with VIVA.
Prior to being given the lead role in “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa,” he was able to do some movies for the streaming platform Vivamax.
Of these projects, he said, “Everything that I did before was a practice for this one.
“Here sa ‘Lumuhod,’ I’m just lucky, like I said, ang ganda ng material, ang ganda ng timing, I just have to be focused.”
Now that he’s given a chance to topbill a project for TV, Kiko just wants to continue doing better and being more focused on his craft.
“Yun yung ‘Lumuhod’ para sa akin, it’s just me focused. Pero may mga nahuhuli pa ako na kailangan kong galingan kasi you are with Gardo Versoza every day, you see him move, you see him approach his character.
“And then you see Sid, iba naman yung approach, Sarah has her own, that’s why I love acting, you never stop learning. I’m still getting there but I think ‘Lumuhod’ is me focused.”
As he was given his first lead role for a TV show, VIVA has also given him his first solo presscon in years.
FreebieMNL asked for his reaction to this.
He answers, “What can you say to that? Speechless, nakakataba ng puso, it’s just like you wanna do good everytime.
“So, I want to thank Boss Vic, the entire del Rosario family for this. Without them, to be honest, wala akong gana to act or to perform.
“They saw worth in a guy who’s trying to do his best in his craft, who was down and out but had talent and took a risk. And then now, gave a good material and thank God that production is always behind me, the director is behind my back, my co-actors.
“When you have co-actors behind you supporting you, that’s a rare feat so I’ll take that and just like you know I can take that and I can quit and just be happy.”
Banner Art Paulo Correa
