It started with a simple crush according to Maja Salvador. From a simple wishful thinking of getting a photograph with Dennis Padilla, she never imagined that it would turn out to be a motion picture. Salvador is set to star with another hugot movie titled—‘You’re Still the One’ with Dennis Trillo as her leading man, plus Richard Yap. The film is scheduled for showing on May 27 in theaters nationwide.
Maja will be pitting acting talents with Trillo and Yap as they breathe into characters who will convey a message on how soon one needs to make a choice and how one can say that he or she is ‘The One’.
During the recent bloggers’ conference exclusively set for Maja; it was an intimate interview with the Dance Princess of the Philippines. She shared a lot of experiences and discoveries about working for the first time with two of the country’s in-demand actors.
Maja Salvador shed light to the bloggers the layers of her character as Ellise.
How different Ellise is from your past roles?
“Sobrang daring kasi ng character ko ngayon. Maski yung kwento. Kaya nga dun sa presscon sinasabi namin na, kinu-kwento ni Direk ‘Sure ba si Maja na gagawin nya to?’ Kasi yung image ko parang alaga pa, may ingat pa sa mga tinatanggap na project. Nung in-offer ang You’re Still The One, kasi nga una sinabi, ‘Okay ka ba makatrabaho si Dennis Trillo?’ Nag-okay ako kahit hindi kopa nababasa yung script. At nung mabasa ko yung script, ahh, naka-oo na ako, parang wala ng lusot. Ngayong 27 years old na ako, naisip ko na kailangan ko rin mag-grow bilang isang artista. Kailangan may mga magawa ako na ganitong pelikula. Yung talagang matured na, hindi yung gagawa ka lang ng isang love story para magpakilig. Etong pelikulang ito ay totohanan, nangyayari sa realidad, totoong emosyon at totoong pinagdadaanan ng isang babae. Pinagdadaana sa pag-ibig.”
While discussing about her role brought out the comic side of Maja by differentiating her partners respective roles (Trillo and Yap) in the movie. She admitted that apart from learning from the two actors, she also discovered other personalities of Dennis and Richard the ordinary televiewers are not privy with.
Working with Richard Yap and Dennis Trillo, how would you compare them to other leading men so far?
“Hindi mo sila lahat makukumpara. May iba-iba silang diskarte, or may iba-iba silang atake sa trabaho o propesyon nila. Maswerte lang ako dahil lahat ng nakaksama ko ay gentleman at alam nilang rumespeto at alagaan ang kanilang kapareha.”
What’s Interesting about Dennis Trillo?
“Parang pag tititigan mo sya, ang linis-linis nya. Parang ang bait. Ang misteryoso ng dating nya na parang gusto ko sya makasama, gusto ko pa makilala kung ano pa meron si Dennis Trillo maliban sa isang magaling na artista. Bata pa lang ako isa na sya sa mga hinahangaan ko. Bilang tahimik siya dun sa event, 5 years ago, akala ko never kami mag-uusap sa set na parang magte-take na lang kami mag-uusap. Ang maganda kay Dennis, alam nya siguro mag-adjust or gumawa ng effort para sa ka-partner nya. Noong first day namin, hindi naman siya tahimik lang, step-by-step parang kada shooting umokay yung usapan namin hindi lang tungkol sa movie kundi tungkol din sa buhay. May mga nadi-discover ako sa kanya kada shooting namin. Sa pagtra-trabaho naman nya, siya yung artista na nakitaan ko na yung script nya, talagang per eksena may marker, may mga notes. Alam nya kaagad kung san galing yung eksena, alam nya yung emosyon. Iba yung galing nya, yung mata pa lang kahit wala siya sabihin nage-gets mo sinabi nya.”
How’s it Working with Richard Yap?
“Hindi ako kumportable noong una pero bilang artista, bawal ka umarte, kailangan mo gawin trabaho mo. Nabasa mo na yung script so kahit sino ilagay nila dun, pag andun ka na sa set, kalimutan mo yung age gap nyo. Gawin mo kasi ito yung role mo, yung character mo.”
What are Her Impressions on Ellen
“Okay naman kami ni Ellen. Minsan para lang akong ewan kasi tinititigan ko siya. Kasi ang liit ng mukha, ang ganda tapos wala pa siya make-up. Sobrang na-aappreciate ko yung kagandahan nya.”
Discover who will be the lucky guy whom Maja’s character would be choosing–is it the right guy who came in at the wrong time or the wrong guy who came in at the right time.
The film is graded B by the MTRCB and is directed by Chris Martinez from the story and screenplay of Aloy Adlawan.
