Scoot, she says
Still waiting for the ex to text? Stalking after separating? Let Bela Padilla, herself, tell you: Move on.
STEPHANIE MARIE BERNARDINO Out of sight, out of mind – out of everything. Out of your head, lahat!
Actress Bela Padilla believes loving comes as easily as forgetting.
Recall that now is the same month last year when she confirmed her breakup with long-time boyfriend, businessman and film producer Neil Arce. They’ve both moved on.
Now, for those struggling to do so from their own, shall we say, ravaged relationship, here is Bela’s advice. “Magdesisyon na po kayong mag move
on,” she said. “’Wag niyo ng ipagpabukas ’yan, ’wag niyo ng sabihin na ‘Hindi last day na ’to na babasahin ko lang ’yung mga messages niya.’ Dapat wala na. Move on ka na today.
“’Wag mo ng dalhin hanggang bukas ’yan. Bukas ’pag naisip mo siya eh mag-isip ka ng ibang bagay. Out of sight, out of mind – out of everything. Out of your head, lahat!” So, was that what she did, we asked. “I didn’t have to do anything,” she answered. “Parang after our breakup, I was already okay.”
She reiterated that letting go of the past is a “decision” and that “only you can help yourself talaga.” “Kahit kasama mo ang barkada mo the whole day, everyday. Kahit ang daming advice – kapag umuwi ka at binasa mo ’yung messages at tiningnan mo ’yung pictures niyo together ay wala, babalik ka, back to zero ka,” she warned. Although their breakup stemmed from Bela’s decision to prioritize work, there’s no bad blood between them.
In fact, the two remained on good terms, working together in the film “Luck At First Sight” starring Bela and Jericho Rosales, and with Neil as one of the producers.
The ex-couple also collaborated on the Piolo Pascual-Toni Gonzaga starrer, “Last Night.” The former lovers conceptualized the story, while Bela wrote the screenplay.
Currently, Neil is dating Angel Locsin, and Bela has no problem with that.
Why, the 26-year-old actress intends to invite Angel and Neil to watch her upcoming flick “Meet Me In St. Gallen” co-starring Carlo Aquino.
“I will talaga ’pag malapit na (ipalabas) kasi alam kong busy na tao si Angel, ang dami niyang trabaho. Si Neil din ang dami niyang movie with Direk Joyce (Bernal) pero alam kong barkada rin nila si Direk Joyce, Direk Irene Villamor, Piolo Pascual. So, ayokong mailang sila na baka gusto nilang suportahan ’tong mga ’to pero baka iniisip nila ako kaya ako na mismo ang magte-text pagmalapit na (ipalabas ang pelikula),” Bela said. She cleared there are no issues to begin with. And given the opportunity, she would want to work with Angel. “Magaling din kasi si Angel kaya isa siya sa mga gusto kong makatrabaho.”
Passion
Bela considers the breakup as sort of blessing in disguise. “Sobrang happy ko lang kasi ang dami kong blessings sa trabaho,” she said. “Siguro kanya-kanya tayo ng blessings so dapat matuto tayong magpasalamat. Kanya-kanya rin tayo ng pinagdadaanan so kung si Neil du’n (sa pag-ibig) pinagpala I’m happy for him. Ako dito ako pinagpapala sa trabaho. I’m sure he’s happy for me as well.”
Tapping the romantic-comedy “Meet Me In St. Gallen,” she assured this is not the usual movie and it’s totally different from her most previous flick, “100 Tula
Para Kay Stella.”
She said that in watching the movie, viewers will learn how to connect with someone the old-fashioned way – by meeting him or her faceto-face and getting to know each other without smartphone screen getting in the way.
The story is about beleaguered musician Jesse (Carlo) and burnt-out millennial Celeste (Bela) run each other at a coffee shop and spend an entire night hanging out together.
Despite that they’re undeniably attracted to each other, by the end of the night, Celeste will decide that they should part as friends after Jesse asked her to see where their connection will go. However, their story continued when they run into each other again years later at the very same coffee shop where they first met.
Like Bela explained, the movie examines the intricacies of how human being makes long-lasting romantic connections with the people who change over time. She assured the concept is relatable and moviegoers will have a connection to the characters and the story on an emotional level.
Written and directed by Irene of “Camp Sawi” fame and produced by Viva Films and Spring Films, Inc., an independent film production firm founded by Piolo, director Joyce and talent manager Erickson Raymundo. It’s the same group behind the huge success of “Kita Kita” in 2017.
Even though Bela already made waves last year not just as actress but as scriptwriter of “Luck At First Sight” and “Last Night,” she didn’t even give her insight on the story of “Meet Me In St. Gallen.” “Gustong-gusto ko ’yung script na parang ni ayokong mag-suggest kasi baka mag-iba,” she explained. “Ang mga questions ko maseset na lang per scene na lang. Na ‘Direk ano po ’yung gusto niyong ipagawa?’ So minsan nagtatanong siya sa akin na ‘Ikaw bilang babae paano mo kakausapin si Carlo sa ganitong situation?’” she said. The film, with some scenes shot in Switzerland, opens in cinemas nationwide on Feb. 7. Meanwhile, Bela is set to reunite with writerdirector Jason Paul Laxamana and singer-actor JC Santos for a project. “Pero for this one completely different, out of the country ulit ’yung shoot. Parang right now, tentative pa ang pinag-uusapan – Hawaii,” she said.
More options
How about widening her horizon as director? Well, Bela said that while it won’t be in the near future, she is open to that possibility.
She even revealed that director Joyce and Star Cinema once offered her to direct any movie she’ll write. “Pero ’yun eh I want to see first how the year will go kasi right now meron ng nakasalang na susundan na movie,” she said. “Before I start something new gusto kong focus ako sa isang bagay. I have to really focus on that kasi they deserve more than a hundred percent attention.” Bela said seating on the director’s chair is no easy job as “directors alam natin sa set ’yun ’yung captain ng ship so hindi lang ’yung isang tao lang ang iniisip mo. Bilang artista ang iniisip ko lang role ko pero bilang direktor iisipin mo na lahat.”
“So do I have enough to think of everybody and take care of everybody? Parang I think I’m not yet there.”
Has she learned the proper technique on camera angle? “Hindi pa masyado mas attitude sa set (ang natutunan ko na) – ’yung pakikisama mo sa staff mo, mas relationships. ’Yung shots kasi will come from my head on how I see the scripts.”