Luis Alandy Is Not Just a Pretty Face

MANILA - The young Filipino television and movie actor Luis Alandy is not only strikingly handsome, sweet and now hunky, but is also down-to-earth and intelligent.At 25, Luis has already appeared in several ABS-CBN television series, in a few movies, and has been busy with the just concluded hit stage play "All About Men, Part II". Not only that, Luis is also a member of the all-male singing group "Barako Boys"."I'm so busy these days with the filming of the telenovela 'Vietnam Rose' and 'Gulong ng Palad'. Our shooting schedule is M,W,F, and we start filming at 8 a.m. and sometimes finish at 3 or 4 in the morning," explained Luis during a recent interview at his manager's office in Ortigas."In 'Vietnam Rose' I play the dead father of Maricel Soriano in flashback scenes," said Luis. "Maricel has been so supportive and nice to me. She's been sharing her knowledge with me and other younger actors."Luis first ventured into showbiz in 1998 at the age of 18 when he auditioned and was accepted at the GMA-7 television network. In 2000, he switched to the rival network ABS-CBN, and has been there ever since.The middle child of a family of three brothers and one sister, Luis grew up in a comfortably middle class family in Antipolo, Rizal, after being born at St. Luke's Hospital in Quezon City on Feb. 7, 1980.Luis was not spoiled by many maids and nannies while growing up, as his mother even had to work to help support the family when he was a child."I know how to iron my own clothes and cook as we were not brought up with many helpers," said Luis. "I know how to cook mechado, sinigang and adobo. And I like reading cook books."He later studied psychology at San Sebastian College, but dropped out in his third year to try his luck in show business."I love the hardships of acting," Luis says when I ask what attracted him to becoming an actor.He is also a passionate defender of Philippine cinema, which after a period of decline is, in his opinion, experiencing a rebirth with the advent of digital cinematography."The much lower cost of digital film has encouraged a whole new generation of Filipino filmmakers to make films," explained Luis. "The digital film world is more story based, and there are short, crisp scenes."He recently starred in a digital film called "Tuli" (Circumcision) along with Desiree del Valle, Carlo Aquino and Vanna Garcia. The film, directed by Auraeus Solito, won best local film and local director awards at the 7th International Film Festival in Manila last October.Despite tabloid rumors that he has split up with his girlfriend Desiree del Valle, Luis says that they are still together despite not having the time to see each other every day."We're both career oriented, and with the schedule I have I rarely see her. But I talk to her on the phone," said Luis.After joining the "Barako Boys" group, which recently released their first album of songs under BMG Records, Luis began working out religiously three times a week to turn his body that originally looked like the one of a boy next door, into the hunk that he is now."Here, touch my abs to see for yourself," Luis told me unabashedly as he lifted up his shirt to show me the fruits of his hard work."I'm a morning person, so when I'm not filming I wake up at 8 a.m., eat breakfast and then hit the gym for three hours of cardio and lifting weights," said the actor."After lunch I meet up with my friends to watch movies or play basketball. At night I like to go out dancing as it's a good way to release tension," Luis told me.But don't get Luis wrong. He's not a spendthrift. Instead, he's saving up his paychecks to buy a housing lot in Antipolo and to pay off an educational plan for his future child."I want to get married in my thirties and have 2-3 kids," said Luis.And I have no doubt that he will.