One of the most successful love teams nowadays -- and one that's not anchored on any romantic relationship -- Barbie Forteza and David Licauco, is bringing their successful partnership for the first time to the big screen in the romantic-comedy, “That Kind of Love,” megged by director Catherine Camarillo, slated to be shown starting July 10.
Will the friendship and artistic partnership between the two translate to a successful gain in the box office?
This writer hopes so as many showbiz industry stakeholders and movie audiences wish too. It's a fact that there's still no Filipino movie that made good at the tills after the highly-watched "Rewind" in the MMFF 2023 in December.
The undeniable chemistry of the two, and the glossy film partly shot in Korea which made it to the Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival, expectations are quite high for this venture.
BarDa, as the love team is known, started on TV in a number of successful teleseryes. David played the role of Fidel in “Maria Clara at Ibarra,” that wrapped up last year. Hence, it is not surprising that a project on the big screen was subsequently offered to them.
“Maganda talaga ang first movie namin ni Barbie,” assured Licauco. “So I will try my best to really promote it. Alam kong maganda ang movie kaya sana mapanood ng mga kababayan natin.”
Licauco plays Adam, while Forteza is Mila as they display their chemistry anew. In “That Kind of Love”, the two are brought together by the quest of finding love.
Forteza plays a dating coach and psychologist, an independent and successful woman and she tries to help Adam, a successful and rich businessman in search for a special someone.
But what happens if he falls for her, instead?
As a rom-com fan herself, Forteza is excited about eventually watching her first big screen project with Licauco. “I’m excited about ‘How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days,’ ‘Pretty Woman,’ and ‘Ten Things I Hate About You’ which makes you believe in love again.”
“From direk Cathy, Pocket Media Productions, David and I, we were all looking forward to starting the film already. It took a year before this gets to be shown. We wanted to watch already the film. Nakaka-kilig siya talaga,” Forteza said.
Barbie and David works with Al Tantay, Arlene Muhlach, Kaila Estrada, Divine Aucina, Ivan Carapiet and Jef Gaitan in this movie.
Unexpected love team “Our love team really came unexpectedly. I think ‘timing’ is not the success of the BarDa love team. We always just taking risks and working together very well and hopefully, the audience will respond positively.”
“It’s always the chemistry and the good partnership we’ve built and with ‘That Kind of Love,’ I feel like showing a feel-good rom-com is a good timing," she added.
After two years of consistently working with Licauco, Forteza describes their onscreen partnership as “comfortable.”
“Almost every day, we work together. So during off times, during set-ups, we get to talk to each other.
“I get to know him as a person outside his matinee idol persona that he’s being built up as. Nakakatuwa because he’s a real person who’s not trying to impress or be someone he’s not.
In terms of how Licauco is perceived as a person, who comes from a comfortable family and has his own businesses and sporty. “People will think you don’t have problems,” Licauco said. “You are not emotional, nonchalant, stoic in a way, with hardly any emotions.
But behind that is someone who is naturally funny. "Especially when he’s not trying to be funny, nakakatawa talaga siya. He’s very interesting to talk to. He has a lot of interesting insights,” Barbie said.
Licauco was a student athlete who played as a shooting guard for De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde (CSB) in the NCCA. He earned a degree in Business Management majoring in Computer Applications.
Barbie, on the other hand, is a child actress who has grown to be one of the best in her generation.
So, mark your calendars for the most anticipated romantic-comedy film that will truly capture and melt your hearts! Showing in Cinemas Nationwide on JULY 10 2024!
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #DavidLicauco #BarbieForteza #ThatKindofLove