| Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos |
His wife just lost an amazing 40 pounds. So no one can blame Ryan Agoncillo for being extra excited these days.
“Kulang na yung mga kuwarto sa bahay!” was his roundabout response on being asked to comment on Judy Ann Santos’ super svelte figure. “Dalawa lang yung children’s rooms—kay Yohann at kay Lucho—eh hindi malayong madagdagan pa kami ng isa pang baby!”
Despite the popular TV host’s quip, friends close to Ryan attest that in the event he and Judy Ann become parents anew, they are sure he will be an even better father.
“I’ve seen Ryan from the time he was single and I know that he has grown more responsible than ever,” offered director Jose Javier Reyes, who helmed Ryan and Judy Ann’s 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, My Househusband: Ikaw Na!, which opens on Christmas Day.
Man of the house
Ryan himself reveals a lot about being a hands-on dad. Unlike the archetypical father who heads straight to his armchair to kick off his shoes and relax after a hard day’s work, Ryan checks up on the children as soon as he gets home.
“Ganyan kami ni Juday,” he related, not one to take all the credit for good parenting. “Especially since we’ve been working together and coming home together for the movie, mag-kakasalubong nalang kami sa hallway kasi isa-isa kaming pupunta sa kuwarto ng mga bata to see how they’re doing.”
Aside from his daddy duties, Ryan, apparently, is also a great help around the house. He is never hesitant to don an apron if he is needed in the kitchen, or reach for a rug if one-year-old Lucho makes a mess.
“Ilang beses na akong pumunta sa party sa bahay nila Ryan at Juday only to find Ryan in an apron,” confirmed Direk Joey, who is a neighbor of the Agoncillos. “Wala sa kanya yon!”
“Pero isa lang talaga ang hindi niya magawa,” laughed his proud wife, “at yan ang mag-walis!”
The two enjoyed teasing the 32-year-old celebrity who, in turn, affirmed that he is not gender-sensitive when it comes to his home life. According to Ryan, he is the exact opposite of his title role in My Househusband, where he plays Rod—a proud padre de familia who is suddenly forced in a non-traditional set up with his wife Mia (Judy Ann) when he loses his job as a bank manager. With responsibilities reversed—Mia becoming the breadwinner and Rod the homemaker—he feels demeaned by chores and babysitting duties.
“I have so much respect for ‘househusbands’ especially in these difficult times,” shared Ryan. “That is, if the man became a househusband by circumstance, and not because tamad lang siya.
“In fact, I was raised by a househusband because my dad chose to run a business from home,” he continued. “Sa tingin ko, I wouldn’t be the way I am today—open sa gawaing bahay at pagpapalaki ng mga bata—if it weren’t for growing up that way.”
A slice of life
While Ryan is comfy cozy with his home life, he is on pins and needles as the countdown to opening day of My Househusband begins. According to Direk Joey, the pressure is heavier on Ryan than Judy Ann this time because he plays the titular role.
It will be remembered that Ryan and Judy Ann starred in two consecutive MMFF blockbuster hits, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2008) and Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo (2009). And while Judy Ann is considered a seasoned actress, all eyes were on the neophyte actor Ryan, who was able to hold his own across his then superstar girlfriend.
“Siyempre, mas nakaka-nerbyos ngayon kasi we’re pitted against giants in the coming MMFF,” Ryan confessed. “May Vic Sotto-Ai Ai delas Alas; Bong Revilla; Kris Aquino-Ding Dong Dantes. Pero on the other hand, masaya din ang maging underdog, lalo na’t ang mga kakampi ko sa laban sa mga higante ay sila Judy Ann at Direk Joey.”
“I really have to commend Ryan for a job well done in this movie,” was Direk Joey’s kind words for the nervous Ryan. “Now that he is playing both a father and a husband, he is bringing so much of himself in this film and moviegoers will sense that.”
Moreover, the filmmaker is confident that My Househusband will emerge a top-grosser precisely because it offers a slice of real life.
“Ngayong Pasko ay makikita ninyo ang sarili ninyo o isa man lang sa mga kakilala ninyo sa pelikulang ito,” Direk Joey elaborated. “Each of the MMFF entries has its own slant, and for us, we offer nothing fantastic—just reality. That is our edge.”
And true, who better to deliver such a story of family life than real-life husband and wife Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos? The pair is doing a great job on and off camera.
My Househusband is a production of OctoArts Films. It opens in cinemas nationwide on December 25.
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