Star Magic actors Joem Bascon and Yeng Constantino happily ushered in the New Year by winning Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards respectively at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival for their film Write About Love.
Joem, who also appears in the MMFF entry Culion, shared that it was his first time to attend the Gabi ng Parangal and he didn’t expect to win the award.
“Sobrang saya ko na nanalo ako. Di ko kasi talaga ineexpect namanalo, talagang pumunta lang ako to support yung dalawa ng entry ko and support the Manila Film Festival. Kasi this is my firt time na pumunta ng awards night. As in unang beses ko to kasi nung first time ko na nag MMFF nasa States ako, so this time, nandito na ako,” Joem shared.
Joem also related he had to audition for his role in Write About Love.
“Tamangtama lang talaga siguro yung emotions ko nu'ng audition, na nagawa namin ni Direk Cris (Aquino) na pinagawaniya mismo sa akin doon sa pelikula. Very clear kasi ang vision ni Direk Cris, which is to give tribute sa mga writers na 'di nakikilala. And I’m so happy na na-create ko ng may process si Marco, which is my character. It was a fun movie to do, it was great to work with all my co-stars,” he said.
The actor is also very thankful to Yeng, whom he knows gave her all to giving life to her character Joyce.
“Yeng was very eager to learn tapos naiintindihan niya yung mga scenes namin, so nabigay niya ng may puso yung mgaeksena. Kaya sobrang saya namin na nanalo din si Yeng. Naramdaman nila siguro yung love story namin ni Yeng dun sa pelikula, nabigyan ng justice yun characters. I’m happy kasi ‘di magwowork si Marco kung wala si Joyce. Hindi ako magiging effective kung wala yun character ni Yeng at kung ‘di kami nagbigayan sa isa’t isa. So masaya ako at narecognize yun ng jurors.”
Meanwhile, Yeng said she was pleasantly surprised learning about the news because she spent the holidays abroad.
“Nasurprise ako! I was in Thailand Airport pauwi ng Manila nung nalaman kong nanalo ako. I opened my Twitter tapos ang daming nag-congrats na mga supporters ko. Ako naman ‘What? Totoo ba to?’ Medyo lutang yung feeling kasi ‘di ko inasahan talaga. Yung makapasok lang sa MMFF panalo nakami ng team Write About Love eh. Pero may pa-bonus pa na awards so super happy and grateful talaga,” Yeng related.
On her experience in doing the film, Yeng said she has mixed emotions about it.
“Ang sarap na mahirap. Masarap dahil new experience at mababait lahat ng nakatrabaho namin. Mahirap kase may konting pressure during nung ginagawa yung pelikula. Pero lahat sulit dahil ang ganda ng kinalabasan ng pelikula.”
The singer turned actress then admitted that acting has a special place in her heart now.
“Sana po ay mas dumami pa ang acting projects dahil napamahal narin po sakin yung craft na ito,” she stated.
A new Cinemalaya project, Angkas will be kicking off Joem’s schedule in 2020 while Yeng will be working on a new album and hopefully a major concert, and will continue with her duties as a Tawag Ng Tanghalan judge and mentor of Your Moment.