DERRICK MONASTERIO turned 21 on August 1 and he got a pleasant birthday gift from Mother Lily and Roselle Monteverde when they signed him up to a movie contract with Regal. “We see a lot of potential in him as a promising leading man,” says Mother Lily. “Ang guwapo niya, di ba? At matangkad. Maraming magpapantasya sa kanya. And I’ve seen him on TV, he can also act. We really need to develop new leading men kasi ang dami naming gagawin pelikula this year. Si Derrick will be our New Millenial Regal Baby. Igagawa namin agad siya ng solo movie.”
Mother Lily wants to build him up as young hunk and sexy actor who can do mature roles and bare on screen like Derek Ramsay. Is he capable of doing that? “Kaya naman,” says Derrick. “Kaya nga ako nagwo-work out para pag may mga delikadong eksena, hindi ako mahiyang magpakita ng katawan. I really want to thank Mother Lily for trusting in me and I promise hindi ko sila bibiguin.”
How far is he willing to go? “Okay lang ang magpakita ng skin, basta lang huwag namang lahat-lahat para may matira pa namang mystery kahit papaano.”
The writers interviewing him are more interested if he has received indecent proposals from rich gays who seem to have been enamoured with his sexy pictorials.
“Oh yes, I’ve received some such proposals,” he says. “Mga tatlo yung seryosong offers. May middlemen sila who do not reveal the identity of those who are making such proposals. Kasi high profile daw. May nago-offer nga ng condo unit sa The Fort.”
Was he offended? “Somehow, nakaka-flatter din kasi napapansin nila ako. Very friendly naman kasi ako kahit sa gays. I don’t discriminate against them. But of course, I politely turn down such offers kasi nagtatrabaho naman ako. I don’t need to do that to get what I want.”
Regal wants to pair him with another sexy newcomer, Sanya Lopez who’s introduced in “Encantadia”. How does he feel about it? “Okay lang. I know Sanya and I hope we have good chemistry together. Sana, maganda yung material na ibibigay sa amin para mag-click talaga sa tao.”
About his lovelife, he says it’s been zero since she broke up with Issa Pressman, younger sister of Yassi who’s also in showbiz now, eight months ago. What caused their breakup? “Simply put, wala akong time then kasi tuloy-tuloy ang career ko at tuloy rin ang pag-aaral ko. But I’ve now stopped my legal management course sa San Beda kasi nahihirapan talaga akong pagsabayin ang school and career.”