‘I’ve realized that we have to take every day one day at a time and really maximize each day. — Bela Padilla’
ACTRESS Bela Padilla is now also a scriptwriter-director. She just made her first full length film, “366,” which is about love, grief and moving on. Her leading men are Zanjoe Marudo and JC Santos.
She also plays the female lead, June, a young woman whose dearest boyfriend suddenly passes away, Pao (JC), and she has difficulty to go on with her life. A caring friend, Marco (Zanjoe), offers to be her substitute boyfriend for one year or 365 days. The story happens in a leap year so the film’s title is “366.” It starts streaming on Vivamax on April 22.
Bela says the film is based on a true story that she herself witnessed a couple of years ago while she was on a holiday break in Maldives. It happened to a Filipina who lost her boyfriend in the island.
“It’s a very tragic love story and then, as I go through the pandemic and its lockdowns, the story gained more significance for me,” she said. “I’ve realized that we have to take every day one day at a time and really maximize each day.”
Supporting them in “366” are Alma Moreno, Kat Galang and Josef Elizalde. Bela is currently based in London. She has a European boyfriend, Norman Bay, who she met while shooting “Meet Me in St. Gallen” in Switzerland, but he’s based in Zurich and he just goes to London to visit her.
“I moved to London to start a new life. I’m now enjoying it, back to basics ako dito and I’m liking it. I became more productive. I’m returning to Manila in April to promote ‘366’ with Zanjoe and JC. I will also resume shooting ‘Spellbound,’ a film I started with Marco Gumabao na nabitin dahil sa pandemic.”
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“Widows’ Web” is the first “suspenserye” on GMA-7 and the first project directed by Jerry Sineneng since he became as a Kapuso. A murder-mystery thriller, it’s about the very wealthy Sagrados, with Carmina Villaroel and Ryan Eigenmann as siblings who are fighting for power to control their business empire.
Ryan gets killed and everyone becomes a suspect, including Ashley Ortega as Ryan’s wife who’s sick and tired of his being a domineering husband.
Direk Jerry was asked how is it working with GMA-7 for the first time. “Napakasarap, napakagaang magtrabaho sa GMA,” he said. “Malaking project ito, mahirap gawin, but the script is one of the best written scripts na nagawa ko. And naramdaman ko agad ang suporta ng buong GMA sa’kin. Wala akong mahihiling pa, from the cast to the crew, sobrang saya ko kasi mahuhusay silang lahat, lalo si Ashley Ortega who’s given a big break here.”
“I’m very grateful to be given the chance to star in this very good, very big project,” said Ashley. “When I read the script, it’s amazing. My character is very different from anything I’ve done before. This is the most mature role assigned to me, so I have to level up.
Kailangan ding mag-ugaling mayaman ako kasi my character comes from a very rich family. Always ladylike, so dapat baguhin ko lahat ng kilos ko, very refined. I have to put so much effort into the character to be convincing. May pressure for me kasi puro magagaling ang kasama ko.”
“Widow’s Web” is now aired on GMA-7 weeknights at 8:50 PM.
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Christine Bermas is one newcomer lucky to be directed by top directors like Joel Lamangan and Brillante Mendoza. “Si Direk Joel, nakasama ko sa ‘Silab,’ na naipalabas na, at sa ‘Huling Birheng Bakla sa Balat-Lupa,’ na ‘di pa nare-release, at ngayon kasama ko uli siya rito sa ‘Midnight Butterfly’,” said Christine. “Si Direk Brillante naman, nakasama ko sa ‘Sisid’ na napalabas na rin, at sa ‘Pola’ with Coco Martin na tapos na rin naming gawin. I also did ‘Siklo’ with Direk Roman Perez.”
In all the sexy films she did, she seems to be so comfortable in taking her clothes off before the camera.
“Actually, I never expected to get into acting. I started with the girl group Belladonnas and ang akala ko, hanggang singing and dancing lang ako. But it was given to me. Marami kaming nag-audition and ako ang pinalad na makuha. For me, parang stepping stone lang ito and eventually I hope to get more challenging roles and be recognized for my good acting and not just for going sexy.”
How daring is Christine and her leading men, Kit Thompson, Ivan Carapiet and Albie Casino, in their bed scenes?
“They’re all very daring,” said Direk Joel. “Halos makita na ang buong kaluluwa nila. But they’re very good actors, very professional. Ibinigay nila what we required from them and you can see hindi sila basta napipilitan lang sa ginagawa nila kundi may commitment sila sa craft nila.”
Christine said this is the most daring film she has done. Did she find it hard to do the sex scenes? “Nahirapan din but more than that, mas nahirapan ako sa scenes na humawak ako ng baril kasi naging suspense-thriller ito towards the end. First time kong humawak ng baril at sobrang kinakabahan ako habang tinuturuan nila ako. But eventually, nagawa ko naman, lalo nang tinuruan ako ni Kit, who’s a very supportive leading man.”
