“Yes, that’s true, pero kaya lang namin hindi natanggap ng management team ko, kasi busy pa ako noon as Bb. Pilipinas kaya hindi nagtugma ang shcedules namin,” she says.
People say she and Coco actually look alike, with their chinky eyes and moreno skin. What can she say about this? “Yes, matagal ko nang naririnig na female version daw ako ni Coco and it’s just fine with me dahil bukod sa guwapo siya, sikat at isa pang magaling na aktor, so magko-complain pa ba ako? Kapag may dumating uling offer na makakasama ko siya, ngayong mas maluwag na skeds ko, tatanggapin ko na. And yes, noon, ayoko talagang mag-artista but my cousin, Dianne Medina, ever since, sinasabihan niya akong mag-artista raw ako. We grew up together in one house at pag walang school, naglalaro kami, role playing. So yun pala, dito rin sa acting at movies ako mapupunta.”
Is she satisfied with her role in “Spirit of the Glass 2”? “Yes, ako yung nagbukas ng portal dito to the other world kaya nakapasok yung spirits to terrorize us. Ako rin yung pinakamatatakutin dito at bagay lang sa’kin dahil in real life, matatakutin talaga ako, so I think nagampanan ko naman nang maayos yung character ko. Also, sa family namin, mahilig kami sa horror films kaya suwerte kong as a newbie, first movie ko is a horror film kaya proud ako and also excited na mapanood ito ng family namin. Actually, nag-enjoy ako doing ‘Spirit of the Glass 2’ as it gave me the chance to work with Direk Joey Reyes and my co-stars na sina Cristine Reyes, Ash Ortega, Benjamin Alves, Daniel Matsunaga, Janine Gutierrez, Enrico Cuenca. They all know first movie ko ito so very considerate sila sa’kin at maganda ang naging experience ko working with them in my very first movie.”
What can she say that, as a beauty queen, a lot of gays seem to idolize her? “Honestly, nagugulat ako kasi kapag nakikita ako ng mga beki, lumalapit sila sa akin at ginagaya nila yung paglakad ko. Nakakaliw. They tell me na malaki ang naging impact ng pagiging beauty queen ko sa buhay nila. Naiiyak ako kasi I never thought magsisilbi akong inspiration para sa kanila. Doon ako naniwala sa sinasabing once a beauty queen, always a beauty queen. Akala ko kasi, after maipasa ko ang korona sa bagong Miss Philippines na si Rachel Peters, tapos na ang pagiging beauty queen ko. But everywhere I go, I still hear people calling me Miss Philippines. Kaya each time I go out in public, I make sure na I exude only positive thoughts sa mga taong lumalapit sa akin.”
Maxine is sure to attend the celebrity screening of “Spirit of the Glass 2” on October 29 and its official premiere night on October 30, both at SM Megamall.
