“Marami akong fans na noon pang nagsasabi sa’kin na subukan kong umacting, so heto, parang pinagbigyan ko sila rito sa ‘Otlum’,” he says. “Since last year, nakakatanggap na ako ng acting offers but I begged off kasi priority ko talaga ang commitment ko sa former team ko, La Salle, and also sa Gilas Cadets. Tamang-tama naman, dumating itong offer ng ‘Otlum’ nang lumipat na ako sa UP where I’ll start playing sa next UAAP season. Also, the film’s director, Joven Tan, and the producer, Horsehoe Studios, agreed that I will shoot only kapag tapos na ang basketball practice at classes ko. ”
He says he enjoyed shooting the movie. “Okay naman. Noong una, I wondered kung kaya ko ba
talaga umarte. But the whole staff and my co-stars, very supportive sila sa’kin kasi alam nilang first time ko sa harap ng camera, tinutulungan nila ako, kaya okay naman ang first experience ko sa pag-arte.”
So does it mean he’ll now go into showbiz for good? “No, playing basketball will remain to be my top priority. May kontrata po tayong pinirmahan as a basketball player.”Ricci’s co-stars in “Otlum” are Buboy Villar, Michelle Vito, Jerome Ponce, Vitto Marquez and Danzel Fernandez, the eldest son of Shiela Ysrael and Dan Fernandez who’s venturing into the movies for the first time. They are supported by veteran stars John Estrada, Irma Adlawan, Pen and Ping Medina. #Otlum