A journey of love and forgiveness
Believing that actors have a “responsibility” to showcase something different in every project, Piolo Pascual is back on the big screen with a drama that chronicles the journey of a father who feels lost and his son who feels alone.
“Most of the rom-coms I’ve done we’re centered on the journey of the couple, or on the POV of the leading ladies,” says the actor during a press conference Friday at Cebu Parklane Hotel.
“This is one of the rare times we’re looking into the point of view of a father.”
A production of Regal Entertainment, Piolo’s Spring Films and Star Cinema, “Northern Lights: A Journey to Love” sees Piolo as Charlie, a scarred man searching for his right path, while Raikko Mateo’s Charlie Jr. is his child longing for love from his father. When the boy is sent to Alaska by his dying mother, Charlie Jr. meets Angel (Yen Santos) on the plane. Once in Alaska, father-son thrash out their relationship, as Charlie and Angel begin a romance.
Piolo says that when he saw the Hollywood father-son drama “Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith, he had always dreamt of doing something similar.
“When it was pitched to me last year, our director Dondon Santos was working on ‘All of Me,’thus, he wanted to castYen for the role. It was close to his heart because it’s his father’s story. As an actor, I think it’s always our responsibility to do something that we haven’t done before. Ergo, when my director pitched the project to me, I told him I’ve always wanted to do something like ‘Pursuit of Happyness,’ wherein you get to see the perspective of a father for a change, because we’re accustomed to stories about moms,” says Piolo.
Another come-on for Piolo to accept the role was the fact that he was going to work with Regal Entertainment matriarch “Mother” Lily Monteverde again after 14 years. Add in the bonus of shooting abroad and getting paired with a new leading lady – these sealed the deal for Piolo.
Such was his belief in the project that he decided to waive his talent fee and sign on as coproducer. “Not that I had a say what the film was going to be about, but at least there was a sense of ownership. I have so much love and respect for my craft, so I just wanted to be more involved in the process and learn as a producer,” he shared.
Piolo says the film’s conflicts are timely, especially among Filipino families whose parents have to go away to some foreign land not of their own volition, and leave their kids behind.
“A lot of parents go away, a lot of parents don’t get to choose a life with their kids and kids have to deal with broken families and these are tackled here,” he says.
For Piolo’s female lead in the film, played by 24-year-oldYen Santos, “Northern Lights” is a monumental highlight in her young career so far: not only is this her first ever movie, she is also elated to the moon and back to be paired opposite an actor dubbed as country’s Ultimate Heartthrob.
“When this project was pitched to me, I didn’t know at first that Piolo was my leading man. I was already excited with the fact that I was going to have my first movie. I also didn’t know that the director was the same with my director in ‘All of Me.’ But my director had been telling me about this project, but he didn’t tell me I was going to be a part of it,” Yen recalls.
“When I was told I would be co-starring with Piolo, namula at nanlamig na ako. It was mixed emotions: I was so excited and happy and nervous at the same time. I wanted to begin shooting right away. This is a dream come true and a great honor for me. Among all the male stars, sa kanya lang ako nagpapa-picture. We were two weeks in New Zealand, so two weeks akong kinikilig. My day was complete the moment I would see him step out of our hotel.”
Yen, who starred in the ABS-CBN dramas “Pure Love” and “All of Me,” was so enamored with her co-star, that her director had to chide her at least once to snap out of her daze and finally get a scene right.
“Hindi po ako nakatingin sa kanya the first few shooting days. Hirap na hirap po ako, because it was so overwhelming to work with him,” she says. “Sobrang gwapo niya kasi, ang hirap niyang titigan. Ang dami kong takes. Sobrang nauuna yung kilig keysa sa eksena.”
The scene that incurred at least seven takes and gentle scolding forYen was the first time Angel and Charlie meet at an Air BnB. “Kailangan kasi suplada ako, pero paano mo susupladahan yung ganyan diba? Ang hirap kasi hindi rin ako makatingin sa kanya dahil kinikilig ako. Sinabihan na ako ng director, ‘Yen, tumatakno ang oras natin. Dito, time is gold. Umayos ka na diyan. Sumeryoso ka na.’”
Of what audiences can take away from their characters, Piolo quips, “My character went through a lot, and he seems to traumatized and scarred because of his experiences. It’s important for us to be able to forgive ourselves in order for us to have that openness to love again. Otherwise, if you live in the past, it’s going to be hard to move on and live in the present.”
As for Yen, moviegoers should learn from her role the importance of forgiveness and acceptance. “There are situations where we might think hindi na mauubos yung galit at sakit, but at the end of the day, it’s important na mapatawad mo yung taong nakasakit sayo. At huwag kang matakot magmahal. Minsan kasi dumadating yung pag-ibig ng hindi natin hinahanap pero kusa siyang dumarating.”
Also starring Tirso Cruz III, Sandy Andolong, Jerald Napoles and Maricar Reyes, “Northern Lights: A Journey to Love” will open in cinemas this Wednesday, March 29.