EPY QUIZON gets to play one of the most demanding roles in his career in Yam Laranas’ drama-thriller, “Greed”, that starts streaming on Vivamax on April 8.
“I play Dadong, neighbor nina Nadine Lustre and Diego Loyzaga in a remote mountain village,” he says.
“They were keeping it a secret na nanalo sila sa lotto, e kaso natuklasan ko and I demand that they share it with me, leading to some violent consequences. As the film’s poster says: ‘Money is the root of all evil.’ And that’s exactly what the film shows.”
Is that also his attitude about money? “Ako, naniniwalang kapag mabilis pumasok ang pera, like napanalunan mo lang sa sugal, mabilis ding pakawalan ang pera. Easy come, easy go. Mas mahirap basta pakawalan yung perang pinaghirapan mo, e.”
Has he experienced greed in his own life?
“Sa family namin, lahat kami, masyadong mapagbigay. We learned it from our dad (Comedy King Dolphy) na maaga pa, may pumipila talaga para humingi ng tulong sa kanya. It’s not in my nature to be greedy with money.
"Kaya nga siguro hindi ako naging milyonaryo kahit antagal ko nang nagtatrabaho kasi mapagbigay ako at hindi makatanggi kapag may humihingi ng tulong.”
He says what he felt is a different kind of greediness.
“What I experienced is emotional greediness. Kasi, 18 kaming mga anak ng daddy namin, so I want more of him sana for our family. E andami nyong kahati so you’ll just do everything kasi gusto mong mapansin ka ng tatay mo.”
If ever he’d win in the lotto, what would he do?
“If I’d win, the first thing I’d do will be to secure my family’s future, all my loved ones. Para kunin man ako ni God, protektado na ang mga anak ko, lalo na their education.”
“Greed” is basically a three-character film. How is it working for the first time with his two co-stars?
“They’re both fine actors. Pareho sina Nadine and Diego who have the ability to just switch on and off as actors in playing their roles.
"Nagtatawanan lang ngayon, pero kapag take na, they become their characters right away at kapag cut na, they become their usual selves again. Nadine is very focused and passionate with her craft.
"She really became her role as Kitchie. She can definitely take her acting to the next level. Si Diego naman, it’s not surprising kasi his dad is Cesar Montano, who has won many acting awards.”
What’s the most difficult thing he did in “Greed”?
“I think hindi lang ako kundi kaming tatlo, nahirapan kami with the terrain. We were filming in the jungle, tapos ulan ng ulan, dumidikit sa mga tsinelas namin ang putik.
"Sa finale ng movie, naligo kaming lahat sa putik. Ang eksena kasi, magpapatayan kayo, tapos nilalagyan kayo ng fake blood at natatakpan ng putik and fake blood na very sticky ang mukha namin at kung minsan, wala kami halos makita.
'It’s good na game na game lahat ng mga kasama namin sa set, pati ang crew, and we felt we’re all working together and things somehow became easier for us.”
Is being greedy good or bad?
“You know, that’s exactly the final question I got in my philosophy class in La Salle: is greed good or bad? I said, there is no right or wrong answer. People become greedy when yung kinabukasan ng family niya is under threat.
"Siempre, your family comes first. If you’re being stingy, then you collect more savings for the future of your family. It just goes back to human nature and how you deal with the world and what comes with it.”
