Derrick Monasterio is diving deep into a complex and intriguing character in the upcoming murder mystery series, Slay and he’s not afraid to admit it’s making him cringe.

The Kapuso hunk actor takes on the role of Zach, a fitness influencer whose life ends tragically in a fire. Described as “hot but full of red flags,” Zach is far from a typical hero, and Monasterio is embracing the challenge of portraying this anti-hero.

During the Viu Original’s media conference for Slay Monasterio revealed that even he was taken aback by the depth of his character’s flaws. “I didn’t expect the role to be this intense, because sometimes, even I cringe at what I’m doing. Like, those poses in the gym, they’re cringe-worthy,” the actor shared.

However, Monasterio also recognized the importance of fully embodying the character. “Although, I also realized that if you start cringing, then you are not your character anymore, so I just kept that in mind,” he explained.

When discussing the portrayal of an anti-hero role, Monasterio emphasized the importance of understanding the character’s motivations. “What I can say is that when you’re given an anti-hero role, perhaps you should just look for why he became bad. He needs to have a background, that’s one check for me. Number two is may redemption,” he added.

Monasterio joins a talented cast in Slay, including leading ladies Gabbi Garcia as Amelie, Mikee Quintos as Sugar, Ysabel Ortega as Yana, and Julie Anne San Jose as Liv. The series also features a supporting cast of esteemed actors, including Royce Cabrera, James Blanco, Tina Paner, Matet de Leon, Bernard Palanca, Phoemela Baranda, Chuckie Dreyfus, Simon Ibarra, Jay Ortega, and Gil Cuerva.

Slay is notable for being GMA’s first Viu Original, and it will feature differing points of view between its GMA and Viu Original releases.

Audiences can catch Slay on Viu Original starting 3 March and on GMA Prime beginning 24 March.