 |
| zanjoe marudo, jodi sta. maria and ian veneracion |
IAN VENERACION is one of our most sought after young action stars in the 90s. His career dimmed when action flicks lost their attraction to local viewers, but he was able to revive it through the soaps he did with ABS-CBN, like “Pangako Sa’yo” and “A Love to Last”. He also did several movies, like “Achy Breaky Hearts” and “Unbreakable”.
Last week, he showed up in three consecutive presscons at ABS-CBN. Thursday, he was in “Make it With You”, Friday in “My SIngle Lady”, and Saturday in the movie “Block Z” where he plays the dad of Julia Barretto.
It’s in “My Single Lady” where he plays his biggest role as the dad of Jodi Sta. Maria’s love child. He says he didn’t have any second thoughts doing “My Single Lady”.
“Even after the past projects we did, Jodi and I have maintained our friendship,” says Ian. “When she told me na siya ang producer nitong ‘My Single Lady’, automatic na yes agad ako kasi, as a friend, I want to be there to support her. And when I read the script, kakaiba siya.
"I like my role as Chester. Iba ang dynamics ng characters, lahat sila flawed, mga totoong tao, so okay talaga. And in fairness to Jodi, kahit friends kami, hindi naman niya ako binarat sa talent fee ko rito. Ha ha ha!”
Jodi says it’s nice to work with Ian in a romantic comedy like “My Single Lady”. “Dito ko kasi na-realized na hindi lang pala sa drama magaling si Ian kundi also in comedy. Magaling din ang comic timing niya. We really had fun doing ‘My SIngle Lady’.”
Playing Jodi’s other leading man is Zanjoe Marudo as BG, an electrician who becomes the new guy in Jodi’s life as Chona. In the story, Ian wants to come back to Jodi’s life after learning they had a son, Red (Ynigo Delen), but Jodi becomes conflicted as she’s also chummy to Zanjoe who says he enjoyed his role as Jodi’s other man.
“Marami na akong nagawa light roles, comedy ang treatment, but kakaiba itong ‘My Single Lady’, kasi nga, as Ian said, hindi kami basta good or bad dito kundi flawed lahat ng characters namin, parang sa totoong buhay na may kanya-kanyang strengths and weaknesses ang bawat tao.
"I’ve worked with Jodi before sa horror movie na ‘Maria Leonora Teresa’, but it’s our first time to work on TV na romantic comedy naman, so I really welcomed the chance of doing ‘My Single Lady’ with her.”
So which one does Jodi choose in the end, Ian or Zanjoe? “Naku, that you have to find out for yourself when ‘My Single Lady’ starts streaming on iWant starting January 22,” says Jodi.
