Last January 9, 2017, GMA aired one of their newest TV series entitled “Meant To Be”. It is a show about a bubbly and street-savvy girl name Billie whose daily life will never be the same as four distinctly different guys enter her life. The show has been receiving positive reviews because of its unexpectedly good plot. It also helps that the cast is very charismatic. Female viewers (maybe some males, too– we won’t judge!) has been swooning about these good-looking men as they rise to be GMA’s newest heartthrobs! Meet Ken Chan, Ivan Dorschner, Addy Raj, and Jak Roberto.
WhenInManila.com had a sit-down with these fellas to talk about the show, their characters, and their personal lives. Here’s how the interview went:
So tell us about the show, your characters, and how similar you are to them.
Addy: Ang pangalan ko sa show ay si “Jai Patel”. Isang makulit na lalaki na medyo babaero *laughs*. Medyo lang. Sakto lang. I don’t take my life seriously. I’m a very fun type of person–happy-go-lucky– who is like that because of his past. [But] there’s a background story as to why I am like that; how I reached that point. It’s not just randomly that I became like that.
Jak: Ako naman dito si Andoy. Andres Dela Cruz, [pero] Andoy tawag nila saakin. And 80% of our character is based on our personalities (Addy interrupts: 80% para sakanya, 20% para saakin *all laughs*). Si Andoy ay isang typical na Filipino na torpe, mahiyain. Middle-class ako sa group, so sila mayaman [at] ako middle-class lang. And shy type ako *laughs*. ‘Yon nga, torpe.
Ivan: Ang character ko naman po ay si Ethan Spencer-Hughes. Nang-galing sa London na gentleman, na medyo altruistic. Boyfriend material kung tawagin– on paper he’s boyfriend material. And I think, si Ethan kasi ang problema niya masyado siyang maraming ginagawa. Na-ooverwhelm siya minsan. So compared to me, marami siyang venues of careers, friends, madami. (Jak interrupts: so ilang percent?) Ilang percent? Mga 60.
Ken: My character is Yuan Lee na medyo bad boy. My character here is half Kampampangan, half Chinese. A 24-years old guy na masyado sinerseryo ang mga bagay-bagay dahil sa mga pinagdaanan niya because of his family– dahil strict yung father niya. And siya yung pilyo na medyo mayabang pero sa bandang huli, ang question dito ay paano ba– sa lahat saamin– paano ba mahuhulog ang simpleng babae sa mga pilyong binata. (Ivan interrupts: and yung naiba naman, papaano din na-in love ang apat kay Billie.) (Jak adds: So siya Indian, ako Pinoy, [then] British, [and] Chinese. ‘Yon ang character namin. Iba’t-ibang lahi.)
For the next question, what’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while shooting so far?
Ken: Lahat kami nanginginig *all laughs*. Hindi, joke lang!
Addy: Oh, I have one! So there was this time during the shoot lahat kami puyat. And one person started laughing and it just spread– like a fire. We didn’t even know what the joke was. We were just laughing for like almost half an hour *laughs*.
Ken: Hindi na namin alam siguro kung ano yung tinatawanan namin basta tawa lang kami ng tawa ng tawa hanggang hindi na kami maka-seryoso doon sa scene namin.
Jak: Kaya ganon kami kasi maaga yung calltime namin 6 AM. It’s 2 AM ‘andoon na kami, so minsan wala pa kaming tulog. So ayon nga, may nag joke. Tawa kami ng tawa. Wala naman kaming pinagtatawanan, nakita lang namin muhka namin tumatawa, tawa nanaman kami!
Ivan: Actually nalasing lang kami sa pagiging tired namin. We’re so tired na we feel drunk. Kasi yung calltime namin 2 AM eh mahirap naman matulog ng 6pm para maka-8 hours kami. 6pm, ha. Kailangan na naming matulog. Hindi po ‘yon nangyayari sa tunay na buhay *laughs*. So ang nangyayari paminsan (Ken interrupts: 30 minutes! *laughs*)… sasabihin ko pa naman 3 hours, pero sige *laughs*.
Ken: 30 minutes of sleep! Mahaba na ‘yon para sa’min! *all laughs*
What was your first impression of each other?
Ivan: So yung audition ng Meant To Be– syempre lahat naman kami nag audition– dumiretso ako sa Starbucks ng GMA muna to meet my managers. Tapos may nakita akong na nakaparehas saakin ng damit. Jean jacket, pants, white shoes… Sabi ko naman, “Parang masyadong bad boy naman ‘tong si chinito…” (Surprised, Ken adds: Ay, ako pala ‘yan!! *laughs*). Sabi ko nga, “competition ko ‘to ah…”
Ken: Kay Jak naman, 5 years na kami mag kakilala actually pero yung unang impression ko nung nakita ko siya sabi ko “ay, magkaka-bago akong kapatid dito.” Kaya hanggang ngayon, turingan namin sa isa’t-isa parang magkapatid na.
Jak: First impression ko kay Ivan syempre kilala ko na siya before pa nung nasa kabilang network pa siya. Tapos nalaman ko makakawork ko siya. So parang “Yes, Ivan Dorshner!” Gumanon yung confidence level ko. Syempre si Ivan, ‘di ba! So I’m really happy to be with this guy. Add ko lang din kay Addy– ito talaga the best. ‘Di ba nabansagan ako ng “Abs ng Bayan”. Yung nakita ko siya, parang mawawalan ako ng title. May nanalo na eh! *all laughs*
Addy: For Ken, I met Ken (Jak interrupts: In India? *all laughs*)— no! *laughs*. I met Ken almost two years back; that’s the first time I was in the Philippines ever. I was not doing anything related to showbiz, modelling, or whatsoever. I was just an exchange student in Ateneo. I was at a party and I met him. I had no idea he was an artist and he didn’t even tell me! He was just nice and I became friends with him. He gave me advices on how to get around the Philippines.
Now that you guys obviously spent a lot of time with each other, describe one another with just one word.
Addy: Now, I don’t like them…. *all laughs*
Ken: Ivan Dorschner, perfectionist (Jak interrupts: I agree). Jak, dreamer (Jak comments: gusto ko ‘yan *pats Ken’s back*). Addy, battery. Active.
Jak: Si Ken, happy. Si Addy, energized. Si Ivan, ayon nga, perfectionist kasi bawat lines aalamin niya lahat.
Ivan: Okay, I got mine. Daan ko naman sa kape. Si Ken Vanilla Bean Frappuccino na may whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. (Interviewer: one word?) One word lang yan! May hyphen pa! Hindi kasi pwede Vanilla lang. Hindi pwede Bean lang. Dapat Vanilla-Bean-Frappuccino-With-Whipped-Cream-And-Chocolate-Sprinkles. Si Jak barako coffee. Explain ko pa ba? (Jak replies: oo, explain mo na *laughs*). Gusto marinig eh *laughs*. Si Jak kasi yung timpla ng pagkatao niya strong (Jak interrupts: and smooth. Naks gusto ko ako na yung nagsabi eh *all laughs*). Ginusto niya masyado eh! For Addy… (Ken interrupts: Indian coffee). *laughs* Masala Chai Tea Latte!
Addy: Jak… chill. Ken, nakakatawa. Ivan…. Gentleman– all because he really is in real life.
Ivan: I’m going to call my mom and all my ex-girlfriends, tapos sabihin mo ‘yon ah *all laughs*.
If you weren’t an actor what would you be?
Ivan: I’d be an astronaut.
Ken: A pilot!
Jak: A chef.
Addy: Professional track and field athlete.
Behind the scenes, these guys were a delight to talk to. Their charming personalities will definitely capture your hearts as you watch these heartthrobs rise as GMA’s stars. Tune in to Meant To Be to see more of these men!
Who’s your favorite Meant To Be cast?
What will you choose? Indian, Filipino, British, or Chinese?
How would you know if it’s “Meant To Be”?
Share this post and comment your thoughts!
