Angel

What it takes to be Angel’s daughter

October 28, 2022 Mario Bautista 2698 views

Angel1

IANA Bernardez has done mostly indie movies. She has won the best supporting actress at Cinema One Originals Filmfest for the movie “Metamorphosis”, where she also was the assistant director of J.E. Tiglao. She also co-produced the movie “Babae at Baril” which won Urian and Famas best actress awards for Janine Gutierrez.

On TV, Direk Perci Intalan got her to play a lead role in the Girls Love series, “Pearl Next Door”, and she played a villain role in ABS-CBN’s soap, “Marry You, Marry Me”. She now gets her biggest break in a mainstream movie as the leading lady of Christian Bables in the Viva comedy, “Mahal Kita, Beksman”.

If you don’t know it yet, Iana is the eldest of the two daughters of Angel Aquino. Does she feel any pressure with the accomplished Angel being her mom?

“Yes, super pressure kasi people tend to compare for us,” she says. “Pareho raw kami ng pagsasalita and mannerisms, which I guess, is unavoidable kasi, all my life, siya ang kasama ko. Kaya nga, I’m using my real family name, ‘yung sa father ko. Siempre, I also want to have my own identity in the business so I try to be different from her. But don’t get me wrong ha, kasi it’s a big honor for me to be the daughter of my mom. Hindi na ako nahirapan pumasok sa industry, but people get surprised when they learn that anak pala niya ako.”

Does her mom give her any advice? “A valuable advice she gave me is that when I’m doing a scene, I should try to own my space, my character, and just be as sincere as possible in playing my role.”

How is it working with Christian and the rest of the cast of “Mahal Kita, Beksman”? “Oh I had so much on the set with everyone. Christian as Dali is a big riot in his role as a swishy make up artist and designer so everyone presumed he’s gay like his dad, Keempee de Leon as Jaime, who owns a beauty shop. But when he meets me in my role as Angel, he falls in love with me and insists that he is actually straight so na-shocked ang lahat.”

Complications occur when Angel turns out to be the only daughter in their family where machismo runs high. Her dad is a sports coach and her brothers are a gym and car shop owner who are all very buff. They cannot imagine the flamboyantly gay Christian as the right partner for Angel.

“They try to discourage Christian from pursuing but then, despite my family’s resistance, na-in love din ako sa kanya. And for him, his feelings for me are not a passing thing and he says I am the girl of his dreams. Masaya ang buong pelikula and everyone in the cast was so professional. Tito Perci is also a very considerate director so talagang nag-enjoy ako making this movie.”

Will love conquer all for Dali and Angel? Direk Perci says this is a feel good movie which is about acceptance. “It says let’s be more open and kind about the preferences of other people,” he adds.

“Huwag tayong basta mag-judge sa feelings of love ng ibang tao. Dito, si Katya Santos as Gemma, wife ni Keempee in the story, tanggap niya kung ano yung husband niya. Masayahin ang character ni Katya rito at naitawid niya yung anggulo kung bakit she sticks with Keempee kahit bading ito. Si Iana naman as Angel, siya ‘yung type ng girl na gustong ayusan ng mga bading and she also didn’t expect she’ll develop feeing for Christians kahit effeminate ang kilos at looks nito.”

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