Main characters
Eric Del Mundo
Portrayed by Dennis Trillo, Enrico or most commonly known as Eric is Vincent's high school buddy, basketball teammate and first romance. He is described as smart and sophisticated. He is an architect, managing his own design business. He poses a tough image for everyone to see, but in reality, he is an openly gay.
After several years abroad, Eric returns and is determined to win back the love of the man he lost in his youth. Instead, he finds that Vincent is already married to Lally, with whom he already has two kids. [3]
Trillo was originally cast to play the character Vincent Soriano but he decided to play Eric del Mundo, instead. [4] In an interview, Trillo explained that "[In] Temptation of Wife , where I played a philandering husband like Vincent; the only difference is that Vincent is gay. Basically, that's what drew me to choose [the role] Eric. I felt I had been doing the same roles over and over again for the past five years. I was getting bored and I needed something that would challenge me as an actor—and perhaps also remind people and the audience that I'm still here."
Trillo's breakthrough as an actor came when he won a Best Actor award from the Metro Manila Film Festival for his role as a cross-dressing gay spy in the 2004 period movie Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita . After that, he thought way past doing gay onscreen. But the role of Eric was "too good to pass up." [5] He also considers My Husband's Lover as his "most triumphant TV outing". [6]
Lally Agatep-Soriano
Portrayed by Carla Abellana, Eulalia or just simply Lally is the loving wife of Vincent and a mother of Diego and Hanna. She is described as intelligent, romantic lady who will do everything for the man she loves. Lally comes from an impoverished and broken family. Her father, Galo Agatep (played by Mark Gil) left them for another woman when she was ten years old. Her younger version is portrayed by Therese Malvar.
Lally has been married to Vincent for ten years. She tries to be a perfect wife to Vincent in all aspects. But their seemingly perfect marriage starts to fall apart when Eric Del Mundo comes into the picture. It turns out that Eric was Vincent's first love, and the two have rekindled their flame. [7] [8]
Abellana was one of the first two (along with Dennis Trillo) to be cast for the lead roles. Although she described the series as "a risky project", [9] Abellana didn't have qualms accepting the role. In an interview, she stated, "I have come out of my shell. I'm no longer shy, and I have more confidence. The concept is groundbreaking, so I didn't think twice about accepting the role of Lally." Abellana also felt that the show made her "a formidable actress to contend with."
Abellana has received raved reviews for her performance that are layered and subtle, way above the usual melodramatic ways usually expected in Filipino teledrama. According to her, she uses subtle acting to make her portrayal more effective. She further explains, "I've learned to use my piercing eyes to convey emotions. I want to be believable and convincing. I want the audience to see my character, not the actress. But, we have to watch every step we take, we have to be careful." Abellana also reveals that the most difficult scene she have done was the revelation that "her husband was gay". "The hospital scene was emotionally taxing, as well, because it was when Vincent (Tom Rodriguez) admitted that he was gay." [10]
Vincent Soriano
Portrayed by Tom Rodriguez, Vince, called by Eric, Vicente or Vincent is Lally's loving husband. He is the only child of prominent couple—Armando, a retired military man and Elaine, a loving yet over-bearing woman. Vincent is a car enthusiast; he collects and sells luxury cars as his business.
Rich, handsome and intelligent, Vincent is a "perfect catch" with one flaw – he is a closeted bisexual. He fought his bisexual feelings and married Lally to please his parents and society, but he later realizes that he cannot totally forget his love for his high school lover, Eric del Mundo. [11] [12]
Recently left ABS CBN, Tom Rodriguez was chosen to portray Vincent Soriano, from many actors who auditioned for the said role. [13] Rodriguez had to go through tests before being cast. During his audition, he acted one scene—a break-up scene—with Trillo. Zapata described Rodriguez as "the perfect Vincent" among the many actors who auditioned for the role, said that "[While] the others treated homosexuality as a disease, Tom interpreted it with so much understanding, and that's what we're looking for." Rodriguez described his role as very complex and demanding as the whole conflict of the show lies in his character. Rodriguez said, to prepare for the project, he watched gay-themed films like Brokeback Mountain and Love of Siam and talked to people with similar stories. [14] He also did research and found out that "homosexual love is not really different from a heterosexual one. But of course things are more difficult for them because of all the social biases that exist." [15]
Rodriguez considers the series as his "biggest break". He, likewise, considers it a challenge working with Trillo, with whom he has developed a friendship and considers him (Trillo) as one of the finest actors he has worked with, in the short period that he has been in the limelight.
