MANILA, Philippines — At 63, Albert Martinez is a picture of good health. His dedication to a healthy lifestyle has paid off, as he needs no maintenance medications and looks much younger than his age.
However, this commitment to wellness presented a unique challenge when he took on the role of police investigator Zandro Fernandez in the upcoming action-drama “Lavender Fields” by ABS-CBN and Dreamscape Entertainment.
In an interview with The STAR, the veteran actor shared the difficulties he faced in fully committing to this complex character.
“The difference for this particular character is, he’s the type of guy that gets into something and he will never let go. For one reason, he’s a dedicated investigator. He’s really focused on what he really does. In the agency, he’s one of the best. If the case is complicated, it’s given to him,” Albert said.
“It’s just unfortunate that his personal case, he lost. And that’s a chip on his shoulder. He wants to avenge what happened to him.”
Elaborating on the character’s multifaceted nature, he further said, “Another thing that’s really kind of complicated with this character is even if we see him as a loser, even if we see him as serious, he attacks everything very lightly. He’s not typical in the sense that he’s angry all the time. When he’s with people, he’s a light person to be with, to talk with.
“The reason behind it is since he’s so intense, he wants people to be comfortable with him. When he talks to his clients, suspects, gusto niya, hinuhuli niya loob nila, para siyang barkada. But behind that, when he’s alone, he’s a ruthless, serious person. You have to watch the show, from start to finish, to know (if he’s a good guy or a bad guy).”
Immersing himself in such a complicated role required Albert to make important preparations.
The veteran actor with co-star Janine Gutierrez.
“I had to prepare for that character because No. 1, this is the type of character na basta na-achieve na yung goal niya, he can go. If lumalaban siya ng patayan, it doesn’t matter. That’s the type of character he is. He became an alcoholic, but still focused on his job,” he explained.
“He doesn’t care about his looks — from his clothes to his hair — he doesn’t shave, he goes to his office ganun itsura niya. Basta siya, he’s focused on his job and he will not allow anyone to bother him in whatever he’s doing,” he said.
On a more personal note, Albert revealed the lengths he went to in order to do justice to his “Lavender Fields” character. He even altered his appearance to embody Zandro fully.
“When I took on this project, I made a commitment that based on the character, this guy is a loser. So, I prepared for it, I intentionally cut my diet and started binge-eating, (grew a) stomach. The makeup, it’s almost nothing, and my hair is all white, unruly, parang natulog, gumising and just went out, ganun pa itsura niya. For me, it’s a commitment that I did to give my character, Zandro, justice.”
Albert had to make drastic changes in his food intake. “From my basic food of kamote or sweet potato, hard-boiled eggs, black rice, and pineapple juice for fiber, when I took over this character, it was free for all,” he said but was quick to advise, “Don’t copy it, I’m just doing it for the character.”
He further detailed the difficulties of adjusting to this new diet. “The problem is I had to get used to eating more than I should since sanay na ako sa konti… I tried to drink beer also because ang bilis magpataba ng beer. Ina-add ko yun for a quicker result without really sacrificing my health. Another way to do it is to take on cakes, but the long-term side effect of that is bad. So, I took the other side.”
Albert in one of the scenes in the upcoming action-drama produced by ABS-CBN’s Dreamscape Entertainment.
Albert admitted that experiencing the physical transformation somewhat took a toll on him. “It was really hard. Well, No. 1, my body is not used to binge-ing. And I noticed when I started binge-eating, my sleep pattern became shorter, maybe it’s an effect from eating too much. I developed eye bags and then the quality of my skin became bad so I thought, this is the effect pag-inabuso mo body mo. So it was really, really hard.”
Despite these challenges, Albert has since returned to his healthy lifestyle. “I’m back to my daily regimen of exercising daily. I do 10 kilometers of biking, bodyweight workout, stretching, and of course, to top that, is the diet. One meal a day, every 3 p.m. Actually, I don’t call it a diet anymore.”
Clarifying misconceptions about the “one meal a day” or OMAD practice, he said, “People think that when they say one meal a day, kakain ng bandehado, no. Maliit pa rin eh. But a balanced diet. I have protein, I have vegetables, I have fruits, I have carbs. Ang wala lang dun is sugar. I can eat red meat. Yes, I don’t have maintenance (medicines).”
He shared that he went into intermittent fasting 10 years ago, but has since transitioned to OMAD. “At first, yes, it was under the guidance of a physician, but na-master na. It’s already in the system. That’s why I find it hard to gain (weight). I find it easier to lose.”
Aside from Albert, the powerhouse cast of “Lavender Fields” includes Jodi Sta. Maria, Jericho Rosales, Janine Gutierrez, Maricel Soriano and Edu Manzano. Directed by Emmanuel Quindo Palo and Jojo Saguin, “Lavender Fields” starts airing on Netflix (Aug. 30), on iWantTFC (Aug. 31) and Sept. 2 on the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z and TV5.
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