DIEGO Loyzaga and Coleen Garcia are paired for the first time in ‘Isang Gabi’ under Viva Films, although they previously worked together in Jon Red’s Adarna Gang (2022), but didn’t have sizzling love scenes like inthe new movie.

“I always wanted to do a movie with Coleen,” Diego Loyzaga said. “It’s a big bonus that it’s written by Ricky Lee and directed by Mac Alejandre. That’s a big deal. That was what attracted me to do this movie. Second, I guess when it’s an acting piece, there’s a saying that you’re only as good as your last work,” Diego added. “So people and the public will tend to forget what you did before and always base it off in what you did recently.

“Some people don’t know if I am still doing movies. It’s really like that. Some people discover your films. Some people don’t. I feel like this movie, people will talk about it.

“This is something that will attract attention and people want to watch this film. This is another opportunity to prove myself as an actor.”

For Diego, doing ‘Isang Gabi’ is a little strange. “The reason I said yes was the same reason I said no,” he said. “This (film) challenged me. I thought, that’s also how I choose my projects. After I read the script and it’s really challenging and scary to do it, all the more I want to do it.”

Diego cannot be more than honored to work with Ricky Lee for the first time. “I know Sir Ricky had worked with my dad (Cesar Montano) several times. Si Direk Mac din even from the eighties. I hope this will not be the last time. I hope this project will have a follow up.”

As early as last year, Isang Gabi was offered to Diego and Coleen, but both of them turned down the project. After more convincing, both artists gave their nod to the film.

Ricky Lee said it paid off well that they waited for the two stars to say yes. “I understand why they previously said no the first time,” Direk Mac said. “Not just because of the sexy scenes. Half of the film had sexy scenes.

“In 12 hours, the story tackled their life the last five years. Mahirap and nakakapagod. But Coleen and Diego came to the set always prepared and they were so eager to work.

“Ricky was very happy after he saw the performances of Diego and Coleen. Ang feeling niya, Coleen as the female lead and Diego as the male lead were the perfect choices.”

Twelve hours were shot in a period of eight days. Half of that started at 4 p.m. and towards the night.

“We tried to tone the love scene,” Diego said. “But if hindi namin mailusot kay direk, we cannot totally tone down.”

After the first love scene they did, Coleen said, ‘First time kong mag-orgasm.’ So to justify that, kailangan the scene prepares for that. So before we started shooting, it was clear what they can do. Given their limitations, I followed their limitations.

“The first few days we shot, it was purely back story. We didn’t have any scenes together yet. On our fourth day, that was where we met. The first time we met, love scene agad. We still haven’t talked much yet. But after we went passed those scenes, everything was easy.”

“The first time we contextualize Isang Gabi, Ricky and I were thing about two people who were merely talking the whole time,” Direk Mac shared. “Alam namin hindi pwedeng mangyari na ganu’n lang ‘yung kwento ng dalawang tao.

“But half of the time, it was only the two of them. So we explored their lives before they met. We wanted to make a film that people would think, it’s a romance. But we wanted to reconstruct to put elements that it’s anti-romance. That was intentional.

“Diego prepared. Coleen prepared very hard to the point that I was telling her, ‘Stop preparing. Your preparation was getting in the way. Nawawala ang spontaneity.’ But that was her creative process. So I had to give her space for that.

“Their chemistry is bore out of the understanding of the characters. They understood where they are coming from, how they are feeling and where they want to be. knew the film was solely focused on the two of them.

“Their chemistry becomes second nature. Is that romance plausible? Their chemistry has that comfort level. I think it served the film well.”

Isang Gabi also stars Alex Medina as Andrew, Coleen’s rich husband; Yayo Aguila as Mrs. Garcia, Andrew’s loving mother; Soliman Cruz as Colonel Garcia, Andrew’s father; and Angelica Hart as Bela, Dindo’s high school friend.