“Yun nga ang joke time namin sa set,” she says. “Na sa aming lahat, ako ang ga-graduate ng magna cum laude dahil sa dami ng awards na nakuha ko from Direk. But I really learned a lot from him kahit ina-award niya ako. Sabi niya, ayaw niya ng teleserye kind of acting ko. He told me that several times. Sabi pa niya, show me something new, huwag yung nakita ko na at napanood ko na sa soaps mo. Okay lang naman sa aking napagsasabihan ako ni Direk. Open naman ako kapag itinutuwid ang mga pagkakamali ko. That’s how I learn to better my craft. So kailangan ko talagang gandahan ang acting ko para mas umangat, dahil kung hindi, lalamunin ako ng lahat ng co-stars ko. Hopefully, nabigyan ko naman ng justice ang role ko as a lounge singer sa Cebu who falls in love with an older married man, played by Zoren Legaspi, na ang asawa, isang female senator played by Aiko Melendez.”
Won’t her fans be alienated by her playing the kept woman of a married guy? “Yes, my role is something na hindi sila sanay makitang ginagampanan ko, but I think they will understand. I can’t forever naman play the sweet teeny bopper roles that I do in romcoms. I have to grow as an actress. Sila rin, I’m sure, gusto nilang may maipakita naman akong iba, bago. And this time, I really have something new to offer to my fans. Hindi naman siya shocking, but it’s something really different.”
Is she now ready to accept more daring roles? “Naku, pag-uusapan munang mabuti yan. It will depend on the story and kung may moral lesson bang makukuha sa kuwento. Ayoko nung basta sexy or daring lang na walang wawa.”
“Etiquette for Mistresses” opens today in theaters nationwide. Also in the cast are Tirso Cruz III, Eddie Gutierrez, Cherry Pie Picache, Aiko Melendez, Freddie Webb, Zoren Legaspi, Sam Concepcion, Arci Munoz and Ms. Pilar Pilapil whose wonderful performance just might steal the scene from the movie’s main stars.
