Ruru Madrid says mentally preparing for 'Lolong' was a challenge

There's no doubt that Ruru Madrid looks physically ready for "Lolong," but preparing himself mentally is another matter altogether.

In an online interview with the press, Tuesday, the Kapuso actor said he prepared his body first when he was informed of the character he will play.

"As artists, we want to be fit enough for the role that the network gives us because we want to repay their trust," he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

"I know it's gonna be hard 'cause there are a lot of fight scenes," he added.

According to Ruru, he sacrificed a lot of his food cravings to maintain his body and he also makes sure to work out daily while in quarantine before the lock-in taping.

Comparing the current setup due to the ongoing pandemic, however, Ruru said the biggest challenge he faced was mentally preparing himself for the role.

"This is the first time that I'll be working for a long time during the pandemic without going home," he said. "We're locked-in, homesick, you'll get sad."

"You can use it for the scenes but most of the time, you're just down so you need to also prepare yourself for that. That's harder than physical (training)," he added.

Recently, Ruru flexed his rock solid abs and arms through a workout video on Instagram.

He previously said he was bulking up and underwent stunt training for "Lolong."

Ruru is set to star alongside Dakila, a 22-feet animatronic crocodile, in GMA's upcoming action-adventure series "Lolong." The premiere date is yet to be announced.

—MGP, GMA News