Why Matt Lozano had already given up on showbiz when he auditioned for 'Voltes V: Legacy'

Matt Lozano didn't have the easiest time pursuing his dream career in showiz.

In an interview on "Updated With Nelson Canlas," the actor revealed that ever since he was a child, he would see how his parents worked in the industry — his mother was a director and producer, and his father was a former actor and production manager.

"Parang as a kid growing up na nakikita ko 'yung ganoong trabaho, parang nai-imagine ko na parang ang saya naman ng work nila, parang kahit pagod sila, at the end of the day, mayroon silang art na natatapos and 'yun 'yung fulfillment nila," he said.

Although his mother didn't approve of him entering the industry, Matt stubbornly chased after his dream.

"Hindi ako nagpapaalam sa kanya, nag-o-audition ako sa mga kung saan-saan. Hanggang sa one time naalala ko 'yun, natanggap ako sa isang film as talent. So nag-audition ako, natanggap ako, hindi ko alam na extra lang pala 'yun. Mag-e-extra lang ako sa isang film na parang mahahagip lang 'yung buhok ko, parang ganoon lang," he said.

"And ako proud na proud ako noon. 'Ma, artista na ako.' Sabi niya, 'Ano 'yan? Bakit ganito? Ganyan-ganyan. Hindi ka nagpapaalam.' Hanggang sa eventually si Mama, pinayagan na ako. 'Sige. Kung gusto mo talaga 'yan, bibigyan kita ng mga puwede mong mapag-audition-an. Audition ka lang.'"

However, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. The standards for roles were high. And Matt at the time had a lot of struggles and insecurities about his weight.

"Ang tagal ko po na magpapayat, kailangan guwapings, kailangan fit na fit ako para 'pag nag-audition," Matt said.

It came to a point where Matt asked himself: 'Bakit parang palagi ko na lang kailangan i-please 'yung mga tao para lang makuha nila ako?'"

He then gave up on his showbiz dreams. After a bout of hopelessness and depression, he decided to focus on music.

However, someone eventually told him about the audition for Big Bert in Director Mark Reyes's upcoming "Voltes V: Legacy."

"Una ayoko, e, kasi 'yun 'yung time na nag-stop na ako sa showbiz, e. Sabi ko parang wala na siguro akong pag-asa. Suko na ako sa showbiz that time," he said.

"Pero pinuntahan ko. Sabi ko, 'Wala namang mawawala, e. Mataba naman 'yung kailangan nila.' So nag-audition ako," he added.

It wasn't until he got home after the audition that he told his mother about it.

"Sabi niya, 'What? Bakit? Bakit hindi mo sinasabi sa akin?' Friend din ni Mama si Direk Mark, e. So hindi talaga nakialam si Mama," he recalled. "Sabi niya, 'Hands off ako riyan. Hands off ako riyan. Kahit close ko si Mark, bahala na sila kung kukunin ka nila o hindi.'"

"Bahala na ako. Well, pinatawag ako. Second call back for audition ulit. Nagulat si Mama kasi sabi niya, 'Oh. galingan mo.' Sabi niya, 'Para kapag pinatawag ka ulit, handa ka na," he said. "So doon na ako nag-start mag-training. Nagte-training ako ng martial arts, arnis para 'pag nakita ako ni Direk Mark, handa ako. May moves na ako na maipapakita sa kaniya."

And of course, since we all know that Matt Lozano will most definitely be playing Big Bert in the highly-anticipated show, this story has a happy ending.

"Noong nakuha ako, sabay kami. Umiyak kaming dalawa," Matt said.

"Voltes V: Legacy" is a live-action adaptation of the legendary Japanese anime "Voltes V," which aired in the Philippines in the '70s.

Also staring Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega, Radson Flores, and Raphael Landicho, the show recently released a trailer. It hit two million views in under  24 hours. —JCB, GMA Integrated News