Pepe Herrera couldn’t hide his excitement during a press conference on Monday for his film Bantay-Bahay. The comedy-horror flick, shot in 2021 under strict pandemic protocols, is finally hitting the theaters.
“I’m incredibly happy,” Herrera told reporters. “We’ve been waiting for this for so long. We always wondered when it would be released. So finally, it’s going to be shown. I’m just very grateful that we can now share our movie.”
Herrera also praised director Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes for his professionalism and smooth-running production.
“I’m looking forward to working with him again because, as I’ve said repeatedly, it’s the best system that I’ve experienced so far. I’m hopeful that many companies will adopt this system. Pre-production is everything. If your pre-production is good, everything else goes smoothly,” he shared.
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Reyes, who participated in the press conference via Zoom, echoed his admiration for Herrera.
“I already had so much admiration for Pepe since I’ve seen him in his previous projects and in theater,” he said. “I’ve been working on this material for a while now, and I intentionally created this character for him. He was always in our mind even prior to shooting this.”
Herrera reciprocated the respect, crediting Reyes for creating a positive working environment.
“Direk Joey made me realize how it was possible to work within a specific time,” he said. “His system was the best I’ve ever experienced. I was prepared to be scolded initially, but it turns out he only shouted once, and it was funny. It was the best experience with him, and if there’s a chance, I’d love to work with him again.”
The actor, who considers the late Dolphy his idol, also expressed his desire to team up with comedian Empoy in a future project. “I haven’t worked with Empoy in a movie yet,” he revealed. “I would like to do a comedy film where we comedians are together.”
In Bantay-Bahay, Herrera takes on the role of Caleb, a vlogger and podcaster who house-sits for his girlfriend’s grandmother in a remote rural area. Unbeknownst to Caleb, the seemingly ordinary house harbors a dark secret from the past.
Joining Herrera are Casie Banks, Johannes Rissler, Melizza Jimenez, Karl Gabriel, and Rolando Inocencio.
Herrera, known for his versatility in both drama and comedy, previously wowed audiences in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) box-office hit and record-breaker romantic film Rewind, where he played “Lods” (Lord), alongside Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera.
“I’m learning every day, I really don’t mind whether it’s a bit role or a starring role. My goal as an actor is to be part of a good project with a great storyline. I’d even be content having cameo or special participation in movie projects,” Herrera said on being cats as a lead star in movies.
From Regal Entertainment, Bantay-Bahay starts screening today in cinemas nationwide.