Did You Know? Paulo Avelino Had to Intentionally Put on Weight for His Role in “Linlang”

““Nagtataka ‘yung ibang tao parang nagpabaya daw ako, pero it was all to prepare for Linlang.”
PHOTO: Instagram/pauavelino, Linlang/Prime Video

Most actors have to physically transform to better embody the role, and Filipino performers are no exception. In the case of the hit teleserye Linlang, one of its leading men Paulo Avelino had to put on weight for his role as Victor Lualhati, but not without some alleged backlash.

During a thanksgiving presscon for the Prime Video-streaming series, Paulo divulged that he had gained some weight for the sake of his character, as it needed him to highlight his progression with his physicality. According to Paulo, it did cost him other projects.

“Kinailangan [kong] isakripisyo ’yung pagtanggap ng ibang proyekto dahil hindi angkop dun sa look ko,” he said.

Alongside the weight gain, Paulo noted that it had been on the receiving end of negative comments, when certain people remarked that he had “let go” of himself.

“Nagtataka ‘yung ibang tao parang nagpabaya daw ako, pero it was all to prepare for Linlang. Kumbaga ‘yung dedication ko na binigay sa proyektong ito, binigay ko talaga.”

PHOTO BY LINLANG/PRIME VIDEO

He continued: “At the same time, ang dami ko ring disiplina na ininstill sa sarili ko para ma-achieve ‘yung sa tingin ko makakatulong sa show in some way in terms of believability.”

While the actor admitted the struggle in filling the character’s shoes, Paulo expressed his excitement with the series’ upcoming episodes.

PHOTO BY LINLANG/PRIME VIDEO

“Medyo struggle talaga dahil may ginusto ako i-achieve […] which is sa weight and ‘yung differences ng character development ni Victor until dito sa present nila,” he said. “I’m very excited for the next episodes, medyo kawindang windang yung mga mangyayari na hindi nila ini-expect ng mga tao. Pero at the end of the day, hindi ‘yun ‘yung mangyayari based sa nalalaman namin. So nakakatuwa rin na hindi ganun ka-predictable ‘yung storya.”

In Linlang, Paulo portrays boxter-turned-seaman Victor “Bangis” Lualhati, who finds himself in the middle of an infidelity case, when he discovers that his wife Juliana (Kim Chiu) is having an affair with his half-brother Alexander (JM de Guzman). The series has been lauded by netizens across the web, in part due to the cast’s impressive performances.