JUDY ANN SANTOS was last seen on the big screen in the MMFF entry, “Mindanao”, which won her the Cairo International Filmfest, MMFF and Luna best actress Awards.
There were other offers but she begged off.
Now, she finally accepted to do a new movie, “The Diary of Mrs. Winters”, opposite Sam Milby, to be directed by Rahyan Carlos and filmed in Toronto, Canada.
“For me to do a project, it has to be worth it,” she says. “Kasi kung hindi, I’d rather just stay home at magluluto na lang ako for my family.
"I was really praying for a good horror project kasi I enjoyed the horror flicks I did before like ‘Ouija’, ‘Kulam’ and ‘Tiyanak’.
"So when Direk Rahyan offered this to me, I got excited kasi the script is by Ricky Lee pa.”
But she had second thoughts when told it was to be shot on location in Canada.
“That means malalayo ako sa family ko. At kasalukuyang winter doon. Sobrang lamig at may snow.
"E, may trauma ako dyan. Kasi my mom used to work in Canada and when I visited her as a young girl, akala ko matatanggal na ang tenga ko sa lamig.
"Kaya lang, heto na yung dasal ko for a good horror movie, sinagot na, mag-iinarte pa ba ako?”
She was also inspired by her husband Ryan Agoncillo’s way of conquering his own fears.
“Kapag may fear kasi siya of something, hinaharap niya, head on, para talunin niya.
"Takot siya sa deep sea water, so nag-diving siya. Takot siya sa trail biking, so nag-mountain biking siya. Kaya na-inspire din ako to face my own fears.”
She says she’s not getting any younger.
“I’m turning 45 this coming May, so I think it’s the perfect time for me to face my fear of snow and sobrang lamig.
"And also, my children, gusto nilang maka-experience ng snow. So baka they can visit me while I’m there and I want to surpass my fear para ma-enjoy namin frolicking in the snow as a family.”
What’s the scariest horror movie she ever saw?
“For me, it’s the original ‘The Exorcist’ with Linda Blair. It has no CGI but so scary. After watching it, hindi ako makatulog.
"Yun bang feeling mo, mapo-possess ka rin, kaya naging paladasal ako para hindi ako sapian ng demonyo.
"Then when the offer for me to do a horror story in ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’ came, I accepted it kasi ang role, na-possessed ako. And na-realize ko, ang sarap palang manakot.”
She likes the story of “The Diary of Mrs. Winters” as it’s a story of redemption.
“I play Charity, a single mom working in Canada. Nang makuha ko ang diary ng isang pasyenteng nagpakamatay, strange things start to happen in my life at itong si Mrs. Winters starts haunting me.
"So I have to fight back. I like it kasi in the end, good triumphs over evil. Hindi nanalo ang kasamaan.”
She’s also happy to be working with Sam Milby as her leading man.
“The last time na nagkasama kami was in the soap ‘Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala’. About ten years ago na.
"Siya, sanay na sa lamig kasi he was raised in the U.S. so he promised to help me cope with the coldness.
"May gloves daw na may electricity to help keep you warm. Excited siya kasi this is also his first horror film.
"And it’s also our first time to be directed by Direk Rahyan Carlos, so we all eagerly look forward to working together in Canada.
"The Lord gave us some people who will help us feel comfortable while working in Canada, like our producers who are based there.
"I know they will help me conquer my fears and, at the same time, para magawa ko nang tama ang trabahong ine-expect nila sa akin for our movie.
"That’s more than enough reason for me to do the movie and enjoy our shoot there.”