Belle Mariano is gearing up for another major milestone in her career as she is set to star in an upcoming full-length film under the direction of blockbuster filmmaker Cathy Garcia-Sampana.
On February 27, Mariano met with Garcia-Sampana and ABS-CBN Films executives to discuss the highly anticipated project, which is expected to feature a star-studded cast.
“Kinakabahan ako, pero excited din. This is going to be a star-studded film, and I’ll be working with artists I truly look up to in the industry,” Mariano shared in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
While this is her first time leading a solo film under Garcia-Sampana, the director has been instrumental in Mariano’s journey to stardom, having worked with her in previous projects, including “He’s Into Her.”
Garcia-Sampana revealed that she has been involved in Mariano’s development as an artist since her early days in ABS-CBN’s RISE Artists Studio, conducting workshops and providing mentorship.
“Si Belle kasi closer to me kasi RISE artist. I did several workshops, but meron kaming mentoring sessions. I was part of ‘He’s Into Her’ from the conceptualization stage, so hindi makakaila ni Belinda na ako ay nasa likuran niya noon pa,” the director explained.
This new project, however, will mark a significant step in Mariano’s career as she ventures into a film without her longtime on-screen partner, Donny Pangilinan.
“She mentioned that she has never worked with some of the actors in this movie, so I’m excited to see how the dynamics will play out on set,” Garcia-Sampana said.
Mariano echoed her sentiments, expressing both excitement and nervousness about this new experience.
“For a while, I’ve been working with Donny. This is the first time I’ll be doing a film on my own, and I would say it’s growth. It’s something scary, but I’m really excited for it,” she said.
While many DonBelle fans have been used to seeing Mariano and Pangilinan together, both have been vocal about supporting each other’s individual ventures.
Mariano emphasized that they are open about exploring separate projects, with her focusing on this film while Pangilinan takes on his new role as a judge on ‘Pilipinas Got Talent’.
“We’ve both been open about it. We’re very supportive of each other. With him on ‘PGT,’ I’m excited for him, and of course, he’s also very supportive of this project I’m doing with Direk,” she shared.
She also revealed that she was the first person Pangilinan spoke to after he landed the PGT gig.
“Natuwa ako. I saw how he judged on ‘It’s Showtime,’ and from there, I knew he was capable of handling a full-time hosting role. I’m excited to watch him in action,” she said, adding that the experience of working on separate projects will only strengthen their partnership.
“I believe that distance makes the heart grow fonder,” Mariano said with a smile.
Following the record-breaking success of “Hello, Love, Again,” expectations are high for Garcia-Sampana’s next film. When asked if she feels pressure to replicate its box office success, she admitted that while financial success is important, it is not her primary goal.
“Dapat hindi, ang unfair,” she responded, adding:
“Of course, we want every movie to perform well. But we always make sure that our focus is on making a meaningful film, telling a good story, and representing Filipino families and values in an authentic way.”
She also emphasized that her main responsibility is to deliver films that resonate with the audience, rather than simply chasing numbers.
While Star Cinema has yet to reveal the title, storyline, and full cast, they confirmed that the film will be one of their biggest productions this year.
With Garcia-Sampana’s track record of delivering hit films and Mariano’s undeniable star power, fans can expect a highly anticipated cinematic experience once the project officially kicks off.
