At the height of the Pandemic, while everyone was in quarantine, "BL" (or Boys Love) series became massive among Filipinos. With that, multiple production houses started filming their own BL series featuring local stories and actors.
Ticket2Me was one of the first ones to jump in and roll into production for the BL craze and introduced us to the story Key and Chen of Boys Lockdown. The series follows the journey of Key and Chen and how they found a connection with each other— yes, even during a worldwide pandemic— proving that love can rise even during the most unusual times.
There are so many reasons to love Boys Lockdown, and one of those is the breakout star portraying the timid boy-next-door Key Kalunsod — actor Ali King. In an exclusive interview with Metroscene, Ali shares his views on life and takes us deeper into his world in front of the camera.
Meet, Ali
Being an openly gay actor, Alonzo Raphael Elequin, also known as Ali King, is a breath of fresh air. The 24-year-old actor might be new to the limelight, but he has already broken barriers in the cis-dominated industry and proved that he is a force to be rocked with— not to mention a heartthrob to keep an eye on.
Ali surely knows how to command his craft and doesn't shy away from showing his talent. That's why when the opportunity to star in a BL series came. He did not hesitate to do so.
"I did not hesitate auditioning for the role because I liked the idea of creating this character that I see so much in me. It's also fun to try to act and see the output while being enjoyed by everyone," Ali shared.
There is something in Ali's smile that can light up a whole town, and we all saw him work its magic in every episode of Boys' Lockdown. But more than his charisma and vigor, there's more to Ali than what meets the eye.
Taking the character
While many straight actors have been praised for their performances in LGBTQ+ roles, Ali wanted to prove that queer actors have the authenticity to bring these stories and play these characters with ease.
"I love working with people who are eager to learn more and understand why we do boys' love and it's nice to educate them about the role and how it matters so much to the community," Ali shared.
He also shared that the series played a pivotal role in his life as he learned brand new things about himself in the process.
"Key and I have a lot of similarities, although I think his style tends to be more on the preppy side. I think I got that from him and I kind of started being more "uwu" after the show," he continues.
Ali and his music
It's safe to say that Ali is currently riding steady in his acting career, but there's one more thing he wanted to pursue— his music.
Many fans may not know this, but Ali also sings and writes his own music. Being a self-proclaimed Swiftie, Ali has always looked up to Taylor Swift from a young age and takes great inspiration to the music icon. Who would have thought that soon enough, his dream will come true?
Ali is set to release his first EP album on May 15, and there's so much to look forward to. Although Ali hasn't shared anything much about his new project, you can follow him on Instagram and Twitter (@rafiecake) for updates about the album title.
Ali is proving himself every day, as he fearlessly faces the most metamorphic event in his life. He is diving headfirst to a fearless transformation— and there's so much to see of him.
Ticket2Me: Love Team
With the success of Boys Lockdown, Ticket2Me together with 2TinCans is bringing back Ali and his co-star in Boys Lockdown, Alec Kevin, in a brand new spinoff of the series, and it appears there's a lot to look forward to.
Entitled "Love Team" the new series will introduce us to fictionalized versions of Ali and Kevin after the shoot of Boys Lockdown. Ticket2Me founder Darwin Mariano also revealed that there would be old and new characters in the new series in a tweet.
"There will be a lot of kilig moments" Ali promised." We've only been told bit and pieces about it but we're already so excited about it"" He continued.
But more than the lesson and the kilig that the series will showcase, Ali wants everyone to remember the advocacy BL series stands for, that "We should be able to love who we want to love."
Ticket2Me and2TinCans' Love Team release date has yet to be announced, but for now, fans can feel at ease because the cameras will start rolling soon for more well-crafted love stories with queer representation.
All six episodes of Boys Lockdown Season 1 are available on Ticket2Me's YouTube channel. You can also catch the whole season on WeTV, iFlix, and on GMA's Heart of Asia Channel.
━━ Art By Mark Baccay
