JANELLE TEE is surely the busiest beauty queen-actress working in Vivamax today.
After the hit “Putahe” where she did lesbian love scenes with Ayanna Misola, she did sado-masochistic bedscenes with Baron Geisler in “Pusoy”.
Now, she’s all set to be seen in a new movie, “Secrets”, that starts streaming on June 10.
She gets the chance here to work with award-winning writer-director Joey Reyes for the first time. So how was it?
“Noong una nahihiya ako kasi Direk Joey Reyes yan, intimidating, e baguhan lang akong artista,”she says.
“But sa set, sobrang gaan niyang katrabaho. Masaya, I felt comfortable agad.
"Andami niyang advice sa akin about life and the industry. He noticed, grabe ang appetite mo ha, o sige pa.
"Talagang pinapakain niya ako. Siya lang ang director ko na lagi akong binibigyan ng food so I had fun with him.”
In the story, she plays Janine, who’s on with Benz Sangalang, but when they went on vacation in a beach resort, she meets Felix Roco who messes up their relationship. Can she relate with her character?
“Si Janine kasi, nasa loob ang kulo niya, and I’m not like that. But I can relate with her in that she’s a keen observer, tahimik lang, pero ina-assess ang mga tao sa paligid niya.”
Has she any big secret that’s been revealed? If ever, what part of her would she rather keep secret?
“Wala pa akong nabulgar na sekreto kasi I’m an open book. But yung personal side ng family ko, I’d rather not share them sa public kasi I want to protect them and keep them private as much as possible.”
Her films seem to be getting more and more daring. Did she enjoy doing her scenes as a dominatrix who inflicts bodily harm on Baron Geisler in “Pusoy”?
“My role in that movie is so not me,” she says. “Nananakit ako, e ayoko talaga ng nananakit.
"Noong una, hindi ko magawa yung hinahampas-hampas ko siya but si Baron mismo told me, ‘Sige, lakasan mo pa. Itodo mo!’
"Yung mga binigay nilang sex gadgets sa akin, hindi ko alam kung paano gamitin at kinailangan pa akong turuan ni Direk Brillante Mendoza how to use them.
"But those who’ve seen ‘Pusoy’ say very convincing ang mga eksena ko, so I’m glad I did it justice.
"Bago ko naman kasi pinasok ang pag-arte, inintindi ko munang mabuti at hindi siya naging madali.
"I don’t want to be just a sexy actress. I want to be a good actress so I give it my full self.
"Bawat role, iniintindi ko, inaaral ko, and then binibigay ko ng buo ang sarili ko.”
Doesn’t she get confused with her roles since she’s doing one movie after another and what does she think is the message of “Secrets”?
“May shooting gaps naman so there’s time to rest and prepare for the next project. And with the help of the director, hindi ka malilito.
"The take away from ‘Secrets’ is that it takes two to tango, to make a relationship work, and be careful because everyone has a secret.”
Ariella Arida says it’d be nice to work with her, Cindy Miranda and Kylie Versoza in one Vivamax project. How does she feel about it?
“Dream ko rin yun, e. Ariella and I, nagkasama kami as hosts sa Wowowin, so sana nga magkasama kaming apat later on and I’m sure we’ll enjoy it.”