AZI ACOSTA got raves for her title role portrayal of the whore who’s not ashamed of her job as a “puta” in “Call Me Alma”, which was written by National Artist Ricky Lee and directed by Mac Alejandre.
Now, she is working again with their formidable tandem in “Sila ay Akin”, where she also shares topbilling with another Vivamax sex siren, her alleged rival Angeli Khang.
“I feel so lucky na nabigyan ako ng chance to work with their team,” she says.
“Even yung first movie where I was given a good supporting role as a rape victim, ‘Selina’s Gold’, sina Sir Ricky and Direk Mac din ang gumawa.
"Kaya at home na ako sa kanila, lalo kay Direk Mac who really helped me a lot when I was just starting.”
How is it working with Angeli?
“I actually look up to her kasi nagsisimula pa lang ako, nagbibida na siya.
"played the title role in ‘Selina’s Gold’ where I had a small supporting role.
"We also did ‘Balik Taya’, but we didn’t have any scenes together. Now, marami kaming scenes na magkasama.
"Our husbands here, Vince Rillon and Victor Relosa, are brothers. So bale magbilas kami ni Angeli and she’s so nice to work with. Masaya kami sa set.”
The story of “Sila ay Akin” is about people who live in the fringes of society.
“Mahihirap kami rito,” Azi adds. “Magkakasama kaming lahat sa isang maliit na bahay.
"Yung mother nina Vince at Victor, played by Angie Castrence who’s also our acting coach,may pondahan, nagtitinda ng lugaw.
"Our husbands work as macho dancers in a gay bar and when they come home, umaga na.
"The partition in our rooms is just a flimsy curtain, so when we make love as couples, maririnig mo ang mga ungol at daing namin.”
So what does she consider her most difficult, most demanding scene in ‘Sila ay Akin’?
“It’s the ending namin ni Victor Relosa, dahil napakasakit for my character.
"Kasi I have to learn how to let him go at napakahirap to do that with someone na sa tingin mo, siyang source ng happiness mo.
"It’s a very emotional scene at kahit tapos na ang take, umiiyak pa rin ako.”
So it’s not a feel good movie? It’s Direk Mac Alejandre who replies for Azi:
“Hindi naman, kasi it ends with a feeling of hope. Yung three movies ni Ricky Lee about macho dancers, puro malulungkot ang ending.
"Ayoko namang maging cynical and depressing ang conclusion nito, so you will see na it ends on a positive note for all the characters.”
We go back to Azi and ask her how is it working with Direk Mac after they’ve done so many films together.
“I’m at a loss for words, kasi when I first worked with him, I was so cautious as I know he’s been in the industry for so long.
"He has worked with a lot of big, established stars. But he turned out to be very kind and encouraging.
“Dito sa ‘Sila ay Akin’, pareho kami ni Angeli na pinupuri niya openly and it’s very heartwarming. Feeling ko, very big accomplishment na napupuri ako by someone like him who has won awards even abroad.
"I can really say na I gave one of my best performances here in ‘Sila ay Akin’, so sana, don’t forget to watch it on Vivamax when it starts streaming this Friday, October 27.”
