BEAUTY MAVEN Bambbi Fuentes is now a movie producer and her first project, “Sugat sa Dugo”, will be shown in theaters on September 28. She is introducing several new stars who she herself discovered, developed and are now managing.
Three of the stars being introduced are Khai Flores, Shira Tweg and Mira Aquino. Khai and Shira play brother and sister in the film, with Janice de Belen as their mother. MIra plays Khai’s love interest.
Khai plays the challenging role of Jack, a teenager who is diagnosed to be HIV positive.
“Napakahirap po ng role kasi ang daming dramatic scenes na puno ng iyakan,” he says. “Tapos po, may sexy scenes din na I have to take my clothes off and go to bed with both men and women, na may matanda at may bata.”
So how did he prepare for his dramatic scenes?
“Before the shoot, lahat kaming baguhang artistang kasama rito, pinag-acting workshop muna po kami. Tapos sa shoot, inalalayan talaga kami ng director namin, si Danni Ugali.
"With Miss Janice de Belen, napakabait niya, tinulungan niya talaga ako and I did my best kasi ayokong mapahiya sa kanya. Awa ng Diyos, take one lahat ng scenes namin.”
How about the sexy scenes?
“Siempre po, uncomfortable nung una. Kasi conservative po kami, lumaki po ako sa lola ko. E, dito, pinag-briefs lang nila ako, na hindi naman ako sanay kasi boxer shorts talaga ang gamit ko.
"Sa briefs, kitang-kita na ang singit ko. Pero inisip ko na lang na hindi ako yun, ininternalize ko na lang yung character, inisip kong ako si Jack. But I want to be known as a serious actor, not a sexy one.”
His parents were in their teens when he was conceived and he never saw his mom who migrated to Canada. “When I was 15, hinanap ko siya sa Facebook at nakita ko naman. We now communicate, but I haven’t seen her in person. Ang father ko naman, may sarili na ring family. I have two half-siblings each sa dad and mom ko.”
Shira Tweg is 15 years old and has a Pinay mom and an Israeli dad.
She was born in Israel but her mom and dad chose to live in Manila where they put up their own business, Bait Lehem, House of Artisan and Mediterranean Bread in San Ignacio, Mandaluyong.
She plays Janice de Belen’s youngest child in “Sugat sa Dugo”.
“Noon ko pa po gusto mag-artista at ngayong naranasan ko na, hindi pala madali,” she says.
She had a hard time doing a crying scene. “Mabait akong anak dito and when I found out may HIV ang brother kong si Jack, iyak ako ng iyak. Paulit-ulit yung pag-iyak at nakaka-drain siya talaga.”
She wants to thank Janice for being so considerate.
“Nakaka-inspire siyang ka-work kasi very calm lang siya sa shooting. Actually, starstruck ako noong una kasi first time ko to work with a celebrity.
"But she’s very kind, kahit may nagkakamali sa eksena, hindi siya nagagalit. I learned a lot just by observing her.
"She’s disciplined kasi pagdating niya sa set, memorized na niya ang script at alam na niya ang gagawin niya.
"Pag sinabing hanggang dito ka lang iiyak, nagagawa niya. E, ako nadadala ako. Siya, ang galing niya talaga. Sana all.”
Mira Aquino is a member of Gandaras, the all-girl group Bambbi is also managing. She sings well and writes her own songs. SHe wrote the film’s inspirational theme song, “Hindi Ka Kulang”.
While trying to pursue a career in showbiz, she’s also taking up-pre law at the Our Lady of Fatima College in Antipolo.
She also once joined a pageant called Miss Teen Youth Globe and won the title. “After that, ayoko ng sumali uli sa pageants,” she says.
In “Sugat sa Dugo”, she plays Daniela, the girlfriend of Khai Flores. How is it working with him?
“Nakaka-pressure yung love scene namin kasi first time for me. It’s good Jack and I took the same acting workshop and we had this technique na nagtitinginan kami sa mata to make a connection and it helped us to do our scenes well.”
"Sugat sa Dugo" opens in selected theaters on September 28.
