Pokwang On The Rumored Romance Between Her And Hollywood Actor Lee O'Brian

POKWANG’s movie, “Edsa Woolworth”, will be Star Cinema’s first salvo for 2015 opening on January 14.

The title is actually the name of Pokwang’s character in the movie as her full name is Epifania de los Santos and Woolworth is the surname of her foster dad, played by American actor Steve Spohn. Two other actors recruited from the San Francisco Bay Area are cast in the movie: Lee O’Brian as Pokwang’s love interest and Prince Saruhan as her youngest brother.

This is Pokwang’s second movie produced by Star Cinema in cooperation with The Filipino Channel. The first one was “A Mother’s Story” in 2012 that was a big hit. Last year, her “Illegal Wife” was also Star Cinema’s initial offering. “Edsa Woolworth” is written by Noel Nuguit and directed by John-D Lazatin, who heads TFC’s department for distribution of local films in the U.S. Pokwang says she immediately fell in love with the story after reading the script.

“It’s about family at maraming makaka-relate,” she says. “Ako’ng eldest sa adopted children ni Steve Spohn. Susunod sa’kin si Ricci Chan, who’s gay and is paired with Lee Robin Salazar. Bunso si Prince Saruhan. Nagkaroon ako ng dilemma nang magkasakit ang foster dad namin at the same time na na-in love naman ako kay Lee O’Brian. E, walang ibang mag-aalaga at hindi ko naman siya puedeng pabayaan, so ang question is: alin ang uunahin ko, ang family o ang lovelife ko?”

Is it true that she really had a love affair with Lee while they were shooting the movie in San Francisco? “Hindi naman. Naging good friends kami, yes. At na-enjoy ko ang kissing scenes namin, aminin na, wag nang magpakaplastic. Pero siempre, alam ko ang priorities ko. Nandito sa Pilipinas ang anak ko, ang nanay kong nagkaka-alzheimer na rin. So alam ko ang priorities ko. Pero hanggang ngayon, friends pa rin kami ni Lee. Na-maintain namin ang friendship kahit tapos na ang shooting. Nagte-text kami. Noong bumagyo, concerned na concerned siya sa akin. Kung saan pupunta ang friendship na yan, yun ang hindi pa natin alam. Enjoy na enjoy akong gawin ang pelikulang ito kasi ako lang ang babae sa buong cast and they spoiled me. Alagang-alaga nila ako. Feeling ko, reyna ako sa set namin.”