Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino are basking in the overwhelming response to their movie “My Love Will Make You Disappear,” which reportedly raked in an impressive 12 million pesos on its first day (March 26) at the box office. It’s been a whirlwind month for Kim and Paulo, who’ve been all over the country and even abroad, promoting the film. The pair have been on the move nonstop. Paulo even joked that this has been the most intense and jam-packed promo schedule he’s ever had for a single project in his career. But despite the busy grind, both are immensely grateful for the full support of the Star Cinema promo team, who’ve been there every step of the way and made this journey an unforgettable one for them.

We don’t need to read between the lines to see that Kim and Paulo’s bond has only grown stronger in their third project together, following “Linlang” and “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim.” They’ve become even more comfortable as they discover new things about one another. One of the cutest revelations from Kim is that Paulo, beneath his super mysterious and quiet aura, is actually quite ‘makulit’ behind the scenes. It’s refreshing to see him in a light rom-com, showing a side of him that fans don’t often get to witness.

Their co-stars have also shared how warm and helpful Paulo is on set, always willing to lend a hand and offer advice. When asked about where this side of him comes from, Paulo explained that he knows what it feels like to be clueless on set. “When I started in showbiz, parang ‘yun kasi ang kulang. Kumbaga, pinapasabak ka agad sa isang giyera na kulang ‘yung kaalaman mo, kailangan mong sumugal,” he shared. “Over the years, may mga beteranong aktor din na tumulong sa akin, mga napagtatanungan ko palagi, mga nagbibigay ng tips na hanggang ngayon dala-dala ko.”

Despite his seemingly shy nature, Paulo is actually a natural team player. In anything he does as an actor, he always wants everyone to work together as a well-oiled machine, knowing that’s the only way to bring a project to life effectively. “Gusto ko iisa lang ‘yung drive namin para gawin ‘yung pelikula,” he said. But that doesn’t mean he’s intrusive; it’s just that he’s genuinely concerned about making sure the final output is the best it can be.

Kim is the life of the set, the ball of energy, as their co-stars like to call her. Just like Paulo, who believes in teamwork, Kim also values the importance of bonding among co-stars, as this camaraderie reflects in their scenes.

Asked about their preparations for their roles in “My Love Will Make You Disappear,” Kim mentioned that her approach depends on the type of scene she’s about to do. For instance, when doing heavy drama, she usually avoids eating beforehand because it’s harder to cry on a full stomach. As they say, food makes you happy, and when she’s too full, it’s difficult to tap into those emotional moments.

Bring up the conversation about acting skills, and Paulo will surely prefer to stay humble as he downplays his own. In an episode of Kapamilya Chat, he shared that he’s not one of those gifted actors who can snap into character instantly or transition from comedy to drama in the blink of an eye. For him, it takes hours of preparation. So, he makes sure to mentally prepare and load up on emotions for the scene beforehand.

Let’s move on to the lighter elements of the movie. Kim’s character, Sari, has a guinea pig named Cookie. When asked if she’d want a guinea pig as a pet in real life, Kim seemed game, saying it’s not hard to take care of one since they’re not picky eaters. She then playfully revealed that Cookie has a bit of a diva attitude on set. Apparently, the guinea pig refuses to cooperate during scenes if snacks aren’t up to par, so the production team made sure to have a steady supply of cucumber and carrots on hand. And, just to keep Cookie stress-free, the little ‘diva’ even had her own personal veterinarian on set.

In keeping with the movie’s theme—about Sari (Kim), who’s afraid of love because everyone she loves seems to disappear, and Jolo (Paulo), who’s determine to win Sari’s love because he just wants to disappear from the world—Kapamilya Chat asked KimPau if there was ever a time in their careers when they felt like they wanted to disappear from showbiz.

Kim confessed that there was a time she seriously considered saying goodbye to the limelight, specifically during the height of the intense bashing she received because of her viral ‘bawal lumabas’ statement in the middle of the pandemic and the ABS-CBN franchise denial. But instead of letting those harsh words bring her down, she turned those into power. As the saying goes, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

The truth is, bashers are only brave behind their screens, and Kim knows they’d never say those nasty things to her face. To her, that means these naysayers aren’t as courageous as she is. She’s strong enough not to let anyone’s negativity make her quit. “At the end of the day, ikaw lang talaga ang may kapangyarihan sa mga desisyon mo sa buhay,” she shared. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade—and that’s exactly what she did when she released merchandise inspired by her viral statement and used the profits to help institutions during the pandemic.

Paulo, on the other hand, admitted that there have been several times when he considered stepping away from acting—not really because of other people, but because he just felt compelled to stop, probably out of exhaustion. Fortunately, he has mentors in the industry who keep pulling him back, no matter how many times he’s tried to walk away. That’s why he dedicates his career success to these believers who never gave up on him.

To wrap up the interview, KimPau was asked to share a message for their respective “My Love Will Make You Disappear” characters. Kim’s message to Sari is to not be afraid to love because pain is just a part of growth. Meanwhile, Paulo’s message to Jolo is to never give up because, eventually, a solution will come to resolve the challenges life throws your way.

Book your tickets now for “My Love Will Make You Disappear”, NOW SHOWING exclusively in cinemas.