“Nagustuhan ko agad yung role ko after reading the script,” says Janine. “Naka-relate ako sa story. I think maraming iba pang makaka-relate, especially among young people today. I’m paired with Enchong for the first time. For him, I’m his ideal woman. All his life, he’s after Elise, but she seems so elusive. May mga taong ganun talaga sa tunay na buhay, di ba? Parang so near, yet so far. Nandiyan lang, pero hindi mo maabot. Romantic comedy pa rin ito na may touches of drama. I’m fond of romances like this, like “Almost Famous” and “500 Days of Summer”, na tungkol din sa unusual love stories.”
Direk Joel Ferrer says she’s just perfect for the role of Elise. “Ang dating kasi ni Janine, parang anghel sa lupa, para siyang diyosa, goddess na di mo maabot. Ganun ang dating niya in the eyes of the character ni Enchong at bagay na bagay si Janine sa role.”
“Scary naman yan,” says Janine. “I’ve never looked at myself as an angel or diyosa. Magiging very challenging para sa’kin ang role ni Elise, who’s also portrayed as someone na super confident and walang pakialam, which is hindi rin ako in real life.”
Will she click with Enchong, considering she’s Kapuso and he’s Kapamilya, she’s from Ateneo and he’s from La Salle? “Nag-look test na kami and Ms. Roselle Monteverde says okay naman daw ang chemistry namin. Mabait naman si Enchong. I feel comfortable with him right away. I don’t think we’ll have any problem with our working relationship kasi we’ve actually worked before in an indie horror film, ‘Lila’, but we played cousins there, hindi kami ang magkapareha. He’s very hardworking at magaling siyang aktor. Actually, matagal na itong project na itong inaalok sa amin, kaya lang hindi magtugma ang schedules namin kasi may soap siya, may soap din ako. Now na natapos na yung ‘Blood Sisters’ niya, okay na siya. I still have ‘Victor Magtanggol’ but okay lang, dasal na lang na hindi ako masyadong mapuyat sa taping para makapag-report ako nang maayos sa shooting ng movie namin.”
She’s happy that “Victor Magtanggol” continues to be well received by viewers and it’s ratings are not so very far from its long-running rival. “Maraming nakakagusto ko sa role ko as Gwen, the reporters na napalapit kay Alden as Victor,” she adds. “To promote the show, ang dami na naming napuntahang probinsya doing mall tours and everywhere we go, very warm ang reception at natutuwa kaming parami nang parami ang nanonood ng ‘Victor Magtanggol’.”
They had a kissing scene recently and some bashers expectedly reacted with harsh comments. How does she feel about it? “Okay lang naman. I understand where they’re coming from, lalo na yung fans na very possessive sa ALDub love team. But as it is, nabawasan na rin nga ang bashing compared to when ‘Victor Magtanggol’ was just starting. Also, I’ve deactivated my Twitter account kasi parang masyado na kong dependent at kagigising ko pa lang, yun na una kong tinitingnan. Baka i-activate ko uli kapag nagkaroon na ko ng sariling website.”Janine and Enchong will be supported in “Elise” by Miss World Philippines Laura Lehman in her first movie, “O Shopping” host Victor Anastacio as the friend of Enchong, and child actress Miel Espinosa who was so good as the healing child in the Cinemalay entry, “Pan de Salawal”.
#ShowbizPortal #JanineGutierrez #Elise
