Wally Bayola lets go of fear caused by scandal

 

Wally Bayola is one of the stars featured in Eat Bulaga’s Lenten Special this 2015.

The Eat Bulaga Lenten Special has been an annual tradition for the noontime show since 1981. Once a year, the EB Dabarkads take on dramatic roles for the entire days of the Holy Week season - a stark contrast to their everyday energetic and happy hosting duties. This year #EBLentenSpecial features two back-to-back episodes from Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday.

This year is Wally’s second time to be part of the Lenten Special since the sex video scandal forced him to take a leave from the show two years ago. He returned in 2014 to portray a cellphone snatcher who changed his thieving ways in the episode Hakbang sa Pangarap.

In the 2015 Eat Bulaga Lenten Special Pinagpalang Ama, Wally plays one of the three gay adult children of a father (played by Joey de Leon) struggling to make ends meet. Jose Manalo plays the eldest gay son and Ryan Agoncillo plays the family’s closeted gay “bunso.”

During the blogger’s night organized by Eat Bulaga at Cerchio Grill to launch the #EBLentenSpecial episodes, Wally is genuinely accommodating to questions regarding his role in the Lenten Special as well as the video scandal he faced in the past.

How did Wally manage to bounce back from his past?

Wally: “Kumawala na ako sa fear. Kasi sabi sa `kin, `di ko rin matutulungan sarili ko sa trauma na dinanas ko kung `di ko tutulungan sarili ko.

“Siyempre, siyempre, sabihin na natin yung huling nangyari is kumbaga aksidente or whatever na talagang kapalpakan o sabihin natin na scandal nga, scandal nga. Even nag-sorry ka na, kahit may mga tao na nagsasabing ‘It’s ok’, may mga gumagawa niyan mas malala pa nga. Move on, move on.

“Gaya last year, buti role ko last year `di gaano ka-comedy, talagang drama…Kasi, sabi nga, pag inisip ko pa sa role na `to malamang `di ko pa magawa. Mahihiya pa rin ako. Lalo `pag live sa Eat Bulaga. Everyday sa mga tao sa barangay. So far wala naman talaga akong negative talaga na na-encounter. So thankful talaga.”

Where did he get the strength to overcome his fear?

Wally: “Sa mga tao, parang [sila yung nagsasabing] `Ano ba?’ Sila na rin yung kumbaga [nagsasabing] `Wala na kaming time sa ganyan.’ Parang,  `Stop it, move on ka na.  `Di na kailangan pag-usaapan pa o balikan `yang issue na `yan. Just move on’. So ako naman, `Let’s go! Let’s move!’ Kasi wala naman talaga sa  mga tao. I’m very thankful talaga na kahit papaano natulungan ko rin sarili ko to stand up. Sa mga tao, wala na sa kanila, e. Ako lang talaga.

“Tinatanggal ko talaga [yung fear]. Wala naman, e. Kapag yun kasi nilagay ko sa sarili ko, `di ako makakagalaw. [I’ll] keep on thinking, `Nakakahiya’ parang krimen ginawa ko.

“May mga friends ako na ina-advise ako na `Huwag, huwag. Don’t be like that. Kailangan kung ano mga advice namin sa ‘yo, 50% lang yun’…50% din dapat galing sa `kin, kung paano ako gagalaw.”

In Pinagpalang Ama, Wally, Jose and Ryan are seen crying their hearts out in one emotionally intense scene. 

Wally realizes the difficulties of portraying a homosexual onscreen, “Madali mag-bading-bading at magpatawa pero mahirap [pala] magpaiyak.

“Mahirap umiyak…na `di ka dapat kumalawa [sa pagiging bading]. Tulad ni Jose, sabi niya pag nagagalit siya kumakawala na siya sa role na bading. Sabi ko,  `Isipin mo bakla ka, bakla ka. Minsan `pag `di ka naman talaga bading, `pag totoo na iiyak ka na, humahagulgol ka na lumalabas yung lalake part mo. Mahirap talaga yung bading-bading na karakter. Mahirap panindigan.”

According to Wally, Pinagpalang Ama was inspired by the story of a contestant whose house they visited as part of Eat Bulaga’s “Juan for All, All for Juan” segment.

“`Yung mga nasugod namin na nanalo na natawagan ni Bossing [last year]. Tatay ang nanalo. Magkahiwalay sila ng asawa niya.  May anak, lahat beki [gays]…apat ang beki, dalawa babae.

“Kami nung sinugod namin, may natutunan kami lesson sa buhay. Na-inspire kami sa buhay niya. Gusto lang namin i-share sa mga Dabarkads.”

Pinagpalang Ama, an #EBLentenSpecial will be aired on Holy Tuesday, March 31. The episode is directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal and stars Joey de Leon, Pilita Corrales, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola and Ryan Agoncillo. -- Jennifer Dugena, PEP.ph