Kris Aquino Is Kim Chiu's Mentor On How To Behave As A 'Kabit' In 'Etiquette For Mistresses'

SOME QUARTERS complain that Star Cinema’s “Etiquette for Mistresses” is a movie that glorifies “kabits” but Director Chito Rono says his film has no such intention. “The movie is based on Julie Yap Daza’s 1992 best seller with the same title, pero may karugtong yun na ‘What Wives Can Learn from Them,’” he says. “It’s a peek into the lives of these women who have relationships with married men. Ano bang klaseng buhay meron sila, anong heartbreaks ang pinagdaraanan nila, and why did they get into that kind of relationship. Hindi madali ang buhay na pinasok nila and we don’t aim to glorify or condemn or pass judgment on them.”
Why does he think viewers seem to have a fascination with movie about ‘kabits’ or mistresses? “Hindi na siguro maaalis sa consciousness natin yan. The other woman will always be there. Mistresses have always been there in the history of the world, even the Popes of olden times have them. Siguro dahil wala ring divorce dito sa atin, kaya nagkakaroon ng mistresses.”

“Etiquette for Mistresses” revolve on the lives of five friends who are all “kabits”: Kris Aquino as Georgia, Claudine Barretto as Chloe, Iza Calzado as Stella, Cheena Crab as Charley and the youngest one is Kim Chiu as Ina.

Kris says after reading the script, she called up Director Chito Rono. “Sabi ko, ang dami kong endorsements at hindi good family values ang pino-promote ng movie, so dapat, my character will have redemption.” Her wish was granted. Her character is the one who acts as the conscience of the group. “Ako yung nagre-remind sa kanila na dapat, alam nila ang lugar nila as mistresses. Ako yung naging mentor ni Kim who tells her na, puede ba, tigilan mo ang ilusyon mo. Lounge singer kasi siya rito na naging kabit ni Zoren Legaspi, who’s married to Aiko Melendez, a senator na tatakbo as president. So she’s a scandal waiting to happen kaya binibigyan ko siya ng advice na if she wants to keep Zoren in her life, she should be like a ghost na hindi nakikita ninuman.”

Why did Kim accept the role? “I’m in my mid-20s na, I felt na siguro it’s about time I accept more mature roles. It excited me but ninerbiyos din ako kasi very challenging ang role as it’s out of my comfort zone. I have to thank Direk Chito Rono for helping me out. Nakasama ko na siya before in ‘The Healing’, pero horror movie yun. This one is a mature drama and I learned so much from him about acting in a drama movie, also from all my co-stars.”