Direk Adolf assures that his actors are given own highlights
DIRECTOR Adolf Alix Jr. is so busy at the moment with a new series, “AraBella”, that starts airing this Monday on GMA’s Afternoon Prime, and a new movie, “Pieta”, that he starts shooting this week. Both the TV drama and the movie star Alfred Vargas.
“In 2006, when I was directing my first movie, ‘Donsol’, I was getting Alfred to play the lead role, but he was so busy then doing several projects, so hindi siya puede and the role went to Sid Lucero,” he recalls. “Now, finally, natuloy rin kaming magkatrabaho, both sa small and sa big screen. While we’re taping ‘AraBella’, he asked me kung material akong maganda for a film.”
It so happened he has this story of a man who was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit and now wants to clear his name.
“So yon, I pitched the story of ‘Pieta’ to him and he liked it, kasi the lead actor is an ex-convict, which he has never played before. Sabi niya, sino kaya ang puedeng gumanap as my mother? Sabi ko, what about Nora Aunor. He got excited and ang bilis nga, we met with Ate Guy in her place and she also liked it.”
But first, they have to finish shooting the entire season of ‘AraBella’. How does it feel that their show is replacing ‘Unica Hija’ this Monday, which rated very high?
“We’re confident with the show’s story kasi alam naming maraming makaka-relate about a mother’s search for her missing daughter. Tapos, nung dumating, dalawa ang nagpiprisintang anak niya at hindi niya malaman which one is really her child. It’s my first time to work with Camille Prats as the mom and Shayne Sava and Althea Ablan as the two girls.”
How is Camille, who has not acted for five years now? “Siempre, noong una, naninibago siya. She had to adjust kasi sabi ko, iba ang atake when you’re doing an afternoon serye, kailangan bigger ang movements and taasan niya ang emotions niya. Mahirap yung role niya kasi maraming twists but she did it all well. I have a good cast. Parehong magaling sina Shayne and Althea, and also Klea Pineda in her first full villain role as Camille’s young stepmother.”
Now that “AraBella” is airing, he can now devote his time to shooting “Pieta”.
“It’s good hindi na lock in ang shoot so puedeng makauwi ang mga artista, lalo na si Ate Guy, ayokong mapagod siya sa dire-diretsong shooting sa location namin in Pampanga. This is turning out to be a very big project kasi aside from Ate Guy and Gina Alajar, kasama na ngayon sina Jaclyn Jose, Bembol Roco, Ina Raymundo, Angeli Bayani, Allan Paule and teen actor Tommy Alejandrino as Ina’s son na napalapit kay Alfred.”
“Pieta” will be a big challenge for him as it’s the first time that three of the country’s best actresses are all acting together in one movie. “They’ve worked na raw sina Ate Guy and Gina, then Ate Guy and Jaclyn, also Direk Gina and Jaclyn, pero ngayon pa lang yung silang tatlo, magkakasama. Ate Guy plays Alfred’s mom na may Alzheimer’s na. Direk Gina is her best friend who takes care of her. Jaclyn plays the mother of an inmate na naging kaibigan ni Alfred sa loob ng jail. May twists sa roles nina Direk Gina and Jaclyn and we’ll make sure lahat sila, magkakaroon ng sariling highlights nila in the movie, so kaabang-abang talaga ito.”
