RITA AVILA is totally deglamorized in her role as Dolores in Dir. Joel Lamangan’s harrowing film on streetwalkers and social injustice, “Walkers”. Dolores is a former whore who now acts as a pimp for younger prostitutes. Her mother, Carmen (Dorothy Gilmore), is also a former prostitute and, in the story, they’re not in good terms.
She has four daughters: Sunshine Dizon as Flor, the mistress of a married cop (Allen Dizon); Elora Espano as Liezel, married to a tricycle driver (EA Guzman); Alex Guzman as Virgie, a pregnant charcoal maker; and Barbara Miguel as Jonah, the mentally challenged youngest child who her Lola Carmen sells to foreigners.
We heard the role of Dolores was first offered to another actress who felt she cannot do it as Dolores utters lots of expletives and obscenities that she herself cannot deliver. Doesn’t Rita mind being just the second choice?
“Not at all,” says Rita at the special preview of “Walkers”.
“And I have no qualms about delivering cuss words kasi I’m just playing a character. In another movie nga, ‘Walang Kasarian ang Digmaang Bayan’, I was bashed for saying a line na ‘papatayin ko si Duterte’.
"Kapag ang isang project is really for you, then para siya talaga sa’yo. Kasi when Direk Joel called me, papunta kami ng family ko sa Boracay.
"I decided to postpone our trip and accept the project kasi baka nakahiga nga ako sa beach tapos nagsisisi naman ako kung bakit hindi ako kasama sa isang magandang project where I get to work with Direk Joel again.
"And I missed doing movies. Lately, puro TV work ang ginagawa ko, e. But after this, balik ako sa TV in ‘Flower of Evil’ ni Lovi Poe.”
It’s the first time for her to act with the actresses who played her mom and her daughters.
“They’re all good and I enjoyed working with all of them. Locked in shooting ito sa Cavite but si Direk Joel, mabilis magtrabaho, and after each shooting day, satisfied ka na maganda yung ginagawa nyo.”
She’s very vocal in her social media accounts about being a Kakampink and bashers have a high time making comments about her. How does she feel about it?
“Noong una, sagot pa ako nang sagot. But now, hindi ko na sila binabasa, kasi nasabi ko na naman lahat ng dapat kong sabihin about where I stand. Ngayon, inginingiti ko na lang kasi I know myself naman and alam kong nasa tama ako.
"I’m for Leni Robredo kasi manghang-mangha ako sa kanya on how honest she is. Sa volunteers headquarters, lahat ng donation, kahit kapirasong candy lang yan, it’s all accounted for. I first met her two years ago.
"When I met her again, hindi siya nakakalimot, alam niya ang pangalan mo. I saw na mabuti siya talagang tao and she’ll practice good governance.
"It’s about time we need a president who will lead our country to progress kasi napag-iwanan na tayo ng ibang bansa na mas maganda ang standards of living kaysa atin.”
She’ll start locked in taping for “Flower of Evil” on March 15.
“Nagkataon, mga kasama ko roon, sina Agot Isidro, Pinky Amador and Nikki Valdez na puro Kakampinks, so on leave muna kami sa kampanya while we’re taping.”
