Paulo Avelino shared his quirky elevator preferences during a press conference on April 5 for his upcoming Viva film, ‘Elevator.’ The actor’s playful banter ignited laughter among attendees as he revealed his dream elevator companion, Kim Chiu, topping his list.
When asked about his ideal elevator partner, Avelino jokingly sidestepped the divine, quipping, “Hmmm… Siguro huwag naman siguro si Jesus Christ baka dumeretso ang elevator sa heaven.”
Amidst the lighthearted exchange, the actor turned to the press for suggestions, teasingly inquiring, “Siguro, if I’m gonna get stuck in an elevator with someone… Sino ba? Sino ba ang gusto niyo?”
Prompted by an attendee’s suggestion of Chiu, Avelino readily agreed, playfully endorsing the idea, especially since she was his leading lady in the ongoing Filipino adaptation of ‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’
“Si Kim, hahaha. Si Kimmy. Ahhh, p’wede naman si Kimmy. Si Kimmy na lang kasi masaya naman siyang kasama.”
Delving further into his thoughts, Avelino confessed his tendency to yearn for acknowledgment from his crushes. He recounted a relatable scenario where he desires to spend a moment with that person in an elevator.
“Siguro one thing na parang laging tumatatak sa akin na kapag may nakakasabay kang kunwari crush mo or maganda sa elevator, parang siyempre hinihiling mo na ‘Sana mapansin ako ng katabi ko.’ Pero hindi naman ako nagsasalita at hindi rin naman ako tumitingin sa tao, hindi niya rin po ako napansin.”
Paulo hates being boxed in.
Beyond elevator antics, Avelino shared his disdain for being typecast, expressing his eagerness to explore diverse roles across genres. He emphasized his willingness to audition for unconventional parts, underscoring his commitment to artistic growth.
“Ako po, hindi naman po dahil choosy ako. Pero naghahanap po ako lagi na kakaiba, na as much as possible, ayoko pong mahulma sa iisang genre.
“I like doing different characters, at parang ‘yun po lagi ang pinagbabasehan ko ng proyekto. Kumbaga ‘di baleng mag-audition ako.
“Ginawa ko po ‘yun sa tatlong pelikula na ginawa ko; nag-audition po talaga ako sa role.
“Dahil ‘yun po ang nagpapa-excite sa akin para magtrabaho kapag kakaiba po or may bago akong p’wedeng ibigay sa character na hindi ko pa po nagagawa at hindi pa nakikita ng mga tao,” he explained.
In a candid moment, Avelino disclosed his ultimate cinematic aspiration—a grand-scale sci-fi endeavor. However, he acknowledged the daunting financial hurdles such a project entails.
“Parang ang dream project ko po talaga is gumawa po ng malaking sci-fi na pelikula,” he admitted. “Alam ko po mahirap gawin dito sa Pilipinas dahil kapag gagawa ka ng isang malaking sci-fi na pelikula, budget po talaga ‘yung magiging problema.”
As discussions veered toward potential co-stars, Avelino remained open to working with Chiu on screen. He even entertained the prospect of collaborating with Kathryn Bernardo, citing her foray into mature roles as an intriguing possibility.
“Sa katrabaho naman po, hindi naman po ako maarte sa katrabaho. Basta may disiplina lang po sa set. Sino ba ang p’wede? Si Kim na naman? Hahaha. Why not?
“Gusto ko naman ang working—kung paano magtrabaho si Kim. Sino pa ba ang p’wede? Siguro once, maybe si Kathryn (Bernardo)?
“I think she’s trying to transition into more mature roles and I think parang… baka maging bagay ako sa ibang mga proyekto na gagawin niya in the future,” stated Avelino.
In the meantime, catch him in ‘Elevator’ alongside Kylie Versoza in theaters on April 24.
