AFTER HER first solo starrer, “Lagaslas”, Manang Medina is given a follow up project in “Langitngit”.
We got to interview Manang at the film’s presscon in Viva Cafe and she said her real name is Maebelle Medina.
Her screen name Manang came from a film she’s supposed to do with Director Darryl Yap, “The Unmaking of a Manang”.
“Hindi po natuloy yun, but the name stuck,” she says. “I started as an actress sa theatre group ni Direk Darryl in Olongapo, where I was born and raised.
"Tapos, when he started doing movies for Viva, sinama niya ako at naging extra ako in his past films like ‘Pornstar’, ‘Revirginized’, ‘Gluta’, and others.”
She is the youngest in a brood of four.
“I have two kuyas, twin boys sila, then an ate. We only have our dad kasi our mom died of lupus when I was only five years old.”
How does her family react to her going sexy in Vivamax movies?
“Noong una po, siempre, nagulat sila. But now, tanggap na nila na ito talaga ang gusto kong gawin, ang mag-artista.
"Ang dad ko supportive naman, he even posts the trailers of my movies.”
Does she have a boyfriend? “Meron po. He’s in business selling shoes sa bahay namin.”
How does he accept her doing sexy scenes with her leading men?
“Okay lang po. Tanggap naman niya. Yung mother niya kasi, nasa showbiz din. Yung mother niya ang nagpakilala sa aming dalawa.
"I was working with Direk Darryl as production staff in charge of wardrobe in the series ‘Kung Puede Lang’. Nandun ang mother niya and introduced us to each other.
"Tapos, nag-extra rin siya sa ‘Revirginized’. I now live with them sa bahay nila sa Antipolo and yung partner ng mother niya ang manager ko.”
Guess who is her biyenang hilaw? None other than Rosanna Roces and her BF is Osang’s son Onyok.
That’s why Onyok can freely accept her going sexy as his own mom used to do it before.
How is “Langitngit” different from “Lagaslas”?
“Sa ‘Lagaslas’ po, probinsiyana akong pinalaki ng isang matanda, si Julio Diaz, na nung lumaki ako, ginagalaw ako. Sa bukid at bundok ang setting noon.
"Itong ‘Langitngit’, sa city ang setting. I play Layla, breadwinner ako ng family namin. I have my mom at dalawang kapatid who depend on me.”
As Layla, she is able to finish college then applied for a job in a company that is so far from their home.
“Masyadong malayo sa bahay namin yung work ko, so I rented a room in this old house with two old women, Ruby Ruiz and Aurora Yumul, na parehong weird.
"May apo si Miss Ruby na gusto niyang magpari, si Popoy played by Itan Rosales, pero nagkagusto sa akin at nagka-affair kami.
'Doon po tumakbo ang story na magiging thriller kasi may mga papatayin po.”
How is it working with a newcomer like Itan Rosales?
“First big role niya ito and first lead din niya, so hindi pa siya sanay sa love scenes.
"Kaya lahat ng ginawa namin, iba-ibang positions, pinag-usapan muna naming mabuti kung paano ang blocking then tinatanong namin si Direk Chris kung okay ba sa kanya.
"At kung okay sa kanya, hinahayaan na niya kami on our own on how to execute it for the camera.”
