Breath of fresh air for Judy Ann Santos
‘I get to scream at and torment people. Sosyal na nangaalipusta pero hindi palengkera.’
I get to scream at and torment people. Sosyal na nangaalipusta pero hindi palengkera.
Despite being multi-awarded actress, Judy Ann Santos admits being mightily challenged playing role on soap that marks her return to the genre after five-year absence.
On “Starla,” Judy Ann is lawyer out to seek revenge on her despised hometown, which she claims is a symbol of her defeat.
“It’s only now that I get to play a character like this. This is one teleserye where no one pulled my hair, no one tripped me, no one slapped me,” she said.
“Here, I get to scream at and torment people. Sosyal na nangaalipusta pero hindi palengkera.” Anything else she likes about it?
“Siguro ’yung mga pairap-irap, ’yung mga pagbabanta, ’yung mga pagsosopla na pa-English, ’yung pagiging impakta. Masaya siya, ha! Na-enjoy ko siya, puwede ko siyang ulitin at some
point. Hindi siya nakakadala.”
Asked what then is challenging about it, Judy Ann quipped: “I need to prepare so many outfits it requires a glam team!”
The series also stars Joel Torre, Enzo Pelojero, Jana Agoncillo, Meryl Soriano, Joem Bascon, Raymart Santiago, Tirso Cruz III, Charo Santos, Grae Fernandez, Chantal Videla, Janus del Prado, Kathleen Hermosa, Anna Luna, Jordan Herrera, Simon Ibarra, Raikko Mateo, Chunsa Jung, Myel de Leon, and Heaven Peralejo.
The pilot episode airs Oct. 7 on ABSCBN primetime slot. Peg Although she would’ve played her role well even without it, Judy Ann asked the director if she has to use someone as study or basis for her role. “Ang unang sinabi ni direk ay si Olivia Pope (actress Kerry Washington’s character on ‘Scandal’) hanggang
sa nagusap ulit kami and we realized
pareho kaming mali, masyado yatang
mataray. Then we thought of Meryl Streep sa ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ so I had to watch that movie again,” the actress related.
Judy Ann took pains in making her character believable even though she lives in fantasy world. “’Yung lakad, ’yung postura, ’yung taas noo, kung paano magsalita… “Pinakamahirap dito ’yung sa abogado kasi napaka-kritikal ng dialogues nila. Kung tama ba ’yung English mo, unang-una. Pangalawa, dapat tama ’yung legal terms na ginagamit sa eksena….”
She humbly revealed there was no perfect take on first day of taping.
“It’s always take four, five, six, kasi it’s either nakakalimutan ko ’yung linya ko or bibitaw ako sa eksena kasi hindi ko pa siya naga-grasp. “Actually, noong fourth or fifth taping day na, du’n ko pa lang nakukuha ’yung pagiging kontrabida. Hindi pala siya madali pero masaya siyang gawin.” Child actor
Working with “It’s Showtime’s” “Mini Me” runner-up Enzo Pelojero on “Starla” gave Judy Ann nostalgic feels. Like him, Judy Ann was just a child when she got her big break in “Ula.”
“I see myself in Enzo, kung paano siya makipaglambingan sa mga crew, kung paano siya makipag-usap. I remember
being like that kaya ko sinasabi na ang lawak ng naging pamilya ko. When I started ay ang dami kong naging tatay, ang dami kong naging nanay, mga kapatid. Ang daming umampon sa akin. Kumbaga, hindi ninakaw ang childhood ko sa akin kasi na-enjoy ko siya nang bonggangbongga dahil ang dami kong minahal, ang daming nagmahal sa akin.
“I appreciated lahat ng taong nakasama ko sa trabaho kasi sa kanila ako sumasakay papunta sa set, sa
unit, sa catering. Sila ang kasabay ko. Kaya ang respeto ko sa kanila ay ganoon kataas kasi alam ko ang pinagdaanan nila.” She praised Enzo for being respectful. “Malaking bagay para sa isang child actress dati na may nakikita kang values sa mga batang nakakatrabaho mo ngayon.
“Sa nangyayari ngayon sa atin, malaki na ang kaibahan ng mga bata, probably because of social media, because of internet. Iba na ngayon ang mga bata.
“Pero meron pa ring mga bata na nakikinig, may values, may kindness sa puso nila. Nangingiti ako kapag nakikita ko si Enzo kasi ang sarap balikan noong mga pinagdaanan ko noong bata ako. It was the best part of my life.” Equals
Indeed, Judy Ann has never been known to act like a diva in whatever project she does.
“Hindi ako naniniwala na may malaking tao at maliit na tao. Para sa akin, lahat ay pantay-pantay nagtatrabaho, pare-pareho. “There’s work that’s difficult only it doesn’t pay much. Kaya kailangan mo pa ding irespeto ang bawat isang nakakasama mo sa proyekto kasi deserved nila iyon.
“All of us work to bring food to the
table for our family. So ang maisusukli mo na lang sa kanila, maging maganda ‘yung experience nila sa pakikipagtrabaho sa iyo. Ang laki-laki ng respeto ko sa kanila because if it weren’t
for them, wala nang mabubuong magandang pelikula, magandang
teleserye kung hindi dahil sa mga taong nagtatrabaho sa likod nito.”