Epy Quizon praises KZ Tandingan’s innate acting talent
The 46-year-old actor Epy Quizon has nothing but good words on KZ Tandingan’s performance in their movie “The Art Of Ligaw.” In an interview, Epy said: “Nagulat ako marunong siya, considering this is her first movie.”
He even went as far as to say she reminded him of Nora Aunor. “Ayoko ikumpara kasi iba si Ate Guy, superstar yon. But KZ reminds me of her kasi ’di ba (pareho silang) small (in height). Petite na Pinay na may expressive eyes, kumakanta rin, nagsimula sa pagkanta.”
A romantic-comedy movie, “The Art Of Ligaw” is about Jake Esguerra who feels the infinite emptiness of living a “landian” lifestyle. After decades of flirting, one-night-stands and hook-ups, he meets the ultraguarded and feisty Carisse, a modern millennial probinsyana working in a call center in Davao. She is repulsed by his “confidence,” while he is weirdly attracted to her raw repulsion for him.
Epy admitted that when he first found out about KZ joining the movie, he had his doubts. So, he set this condition: KZ must undergo acting workshop.
And in one of their sessions – what do you know – KZ outshone Epy, he said.
“Kinain ako sa isang scene,” he
said. “Nauna siya sa isang exercise,
’yung exercise na ’yun palagi kong ginagawa - burst emotion. Nu’ng sa kanya, pati mata niya umaarte. Pagtapos niya sabi ko ‘Ayoko na gawin.’ Na
intimidate ako.”
Epy also lauded KZ’s professionalism.
“Kumbaga marunong. Dumadating siya prepared, alam niya linya niya, alam niya paano sasabihin, hindi ’yung pag nagdi-deliver lang ng line. Kasi may mga bagong artista na scripted na scripted ’yung tunog pero ’yung kay KZ, natural,” he explained.
“Maski ’pag pina-iyak mo iiyak ang dali. ’Pag sinabi mong ’wag tumulo ang luha, andu’n lang, gigilid lang, ’di tutulo. ’Pag pinatawa mo, ’pag nagpatawa... may timing.”
When things got hard, KZ asked the opinion of her more seasoned co-actors.
What does Epy tell her, we asked.
“Just be yourself,” he said. “Kung ano ’yung tingin mong tamang gawin, ’yun ang gawin mo. Siguro dahil performer din siya, alam niya eh. Alam niya ’yung cues niya, alam niya kung paano magbasa ng script, alam niya kung paano magdi-deliver ng character.”
Asked how KZ was picked to do the role, Epy said the movie writer and first-time director Jourdan Sebastian recommended her.
The latter said he didn’t know KZ is a singer. So, the film’s executive
producer, Anna Maniego, sent him a link of KZ singing Up Dharma Down’s “Tadhana.”
Impressed by what he saw, the writer-director searched online on who KZ is and he stumbled upon her performance on singing competition “Singer” in China.
“So pinanuod ko ’yung ‘Rolling In The Deep,’ na pa-wow ako. Pero nu’ng kumanta na siya in Mandarin in front of Chinese audience na makikita mo ang mga reaction na umiiyak, duon ko na-realize she’s good storyteller,” he said. “I mean, isipin mo, she sang a song in a different language pero na deliver niya, naintindihan ng mga Chinese audience.”
What was his first impression of KZ? “Parang mali,” he said. “Kasi maliit, medyo sa totoo lang, nasasabi ko naman sa kanya – weird ’yung itsura niya on camera.
“But we finally decided na siya na nu’ng nagscript reading and halos lahat kinikilig sa kanila, so naramdaman ’yung connection nila ni Epy.” Jourdan was also impressed with KZ’s performance once shoot started.
“KZ is an amazing actress and that’s one aspect of her artistry na hindi pa talaga na-tap. And masasabi ko, I already directed her pero katiting pa lang na-explore namin sa talents niya.”
In terms of the film’s narrative, he said this: “Sometimes being lost together is the first step in finding love that lasts forever.”
He explained that the Tagalog term “ligaw” means two things, “courtship” and “the state of being lost.”
Jourdan reiterated that it is only when people are lost that they can begin the journey of being found.
Also in the cast are Long Mejia, Archie Alemania, Roxanne Barcelo, Mercedes Cabral, and Cuckooh Calsado, among others. “The Art Of Ligaw,” produced by Coreminds Inc., opens in cinemas on Nov. 13.