CHLOE Jenna was just introduced in “Lampas Langit” where she gave an impressive debut performance as Mylene, the wife of Baron Geisler who doesn’t know her husband is cheating her with their neighbor, Christine Bermas. Now, she has a quick follow up project, “Do You Think I Am Sexy?” where she shares topbilling with her namesake, but without an H, Cloe Barreto.

“I play Harriet, a liberated woman with an open relationship with Trystan, a college instructor played by Marco Gomez,” she says. “I’m happy-go-lucky, carefree, but I don’t really show my true emotions. Si Harriet, may sarili siyang struggle na pinagdaraanan.”

So how is it working with her namesake, Cloe without an H? “First time namin to work together and it’s nice working with her,” she says. “She’s very friendly. Magiging rivals kami rito over Marco Gomez.”

Does she really think she is sexy? “Yes, I think I’m sexy naman. We all have our definition of being sexy. E ako, confident ako sa sarili ko na sexy ako. Matagal na process ‘yun para ma-achieve mo ang pagiging sexy. I don’t think naman that Viva would get me to do sexy films with Vivamax kung hindi ako sexy.”

How does she feel when people say that most of the films that Vivamax does ask their actresses to disrobe? “Well, opinion nila ‘yan, so let’s respect it. Maaring naghuhubad kami, but always, may valid reason naman para maihatid ang message ng movie. Like in ‘Do You Think I Am Sexy’, it shows how some men take advantage of women for their own selfish motives.”

She says she’s loveless at the moment. What does she look for in guys? “I prefer intelligent men. Importante sa akin ‘yung nakakausap ko siya nang malalim. Ayoko ng pabola-bola lang, waste of time. I look at his set of beliefs at gusto ko ‘yung may concrete direction siya in life.”

How did she prepare for her role? “I always prepare myself bago pa dumating sa lock-in shoot namin. Kasi I will bare my body, so I do fasting to look good on screen.”

Doesn’t she have any reluctance doing sexy scenes? “None kasi pinasok ko ito nang wala namang pumilit sa akin. In front of the camera, I always think that it’s my character who’s doing it. Hindi ako. And our director, Dennis Marasigan, he’s very patient at willing siya talaga mag-explain ng requirements, scene by scene. Like me, he started with theatre, so we can relate well. I always ask his advice at nagpapa-guide ako sa kanya.”

How does she handle bashers? “Like I said, I started sa teatro and there, I get lots of comments after each performance on stage. Alam ko talaga kung nagkamali ako or may nambabash lang. So pipiliin mo lang kung alin ang valid criticism and disregard ‘yung hindi.”

She’s happy to have worked in the movie with two colleagues in the theatre, Jojit Lorenzo and Dolly de Leon. “I really enjoyed working with them kahit mahirap ‘yung eksena namin at halo-halo ang emotions. Sa scene kasi, I’m making love to Marco sa loob ng faculty room when they suddenly arrive kaya nagtago ako. We were all excited to work together at kahit may retakes, hindi kami napapagod. Maganda ang naging dynamics ng aming eksena.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Mario Bautista