SHE CHOOSES ACTING OVER POLITICS
ACebuana indie film enthusiast and actress takes the lead role in the Japanese film “Itoshi No Irene” (“Irene of Love”), which is based on the 1995 manga series of the same name.
Nats Sitoy is the daughter of the late provincial board member Alreigh Sitoy and the granddaughter of Adelino Sitoy, former Cordova mayor and now head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. In an interview, she said politics is far from her sights—for now. Acting is her priority.
“I grew up in a political family and it is natural that we would be inclined into joining politics, but as of now, this is my priority,” Sitoy said of acting.
Locally, Sitoy recently starred in the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino film “Pinay Beauty (She’s No White).” Other films under her belt are “Asuang,” which is an entry in this year’s Cinema One Originals and “Amo,” which is currently streaming on Netflix. She is also part of the web series “Fan Girl Diaries 2” and starred in the hit GMA teleserye “I Heart Davao” last year.
She mostly does indie films. She won best supporting actress in the film “Lily,” which was directed by Keith Deligero in the 2016 Cinema One Originals.
Sitoy had to audition for the eponymous role in the Japanese film. She auditioned for it last May in Manila. It was award-winning Cebuana producer Bianca Balbuena who messaged her to audition for the role. “Itoshi No Irene” is co-produced by Epicmedia, which Balbuena heads.
“Na-pressure ko ba (I was pressured),” Sitoy remembered the audition process. “So wala ra pod ko ni-expect na pabalikon
ko. Na swerte-an lang nga na-callback pa ko. Pag-callback
namo, naa na ang mga Japanese staff (I didn’t expect a callback. But I was lucky to get one. And when I went to the callback, the Japanese staff were already there),” she continued.
Sitoy remembered that when she first entered the room for the auditions, the staff kept looking at her. She later learned that they were looking at her because they already found their Irene—the character calls for a woman who is innocent, happy-go-lucky and bubbly. The film staff also told Sitoy that she looked like the Irene in the manga.
When she got the role of Irene, Sitoy studied basic Japanese words to understand her line. But since she plays a Filipina, she also speaks Filipino and English. She had an interpreter during her stay in Japan so as not to have a hard time conversing with other people.
The Cebuana actress learned that the Japanese filmmakers are very strict with punctuality.