Facing a new challenge in her acting career
KNOWN by today’s generation as "Lola Gets" from the hit television drama series Tayong Dalawa; followed by another supporting role as "Mama Pet" in Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo both by ABS-CBN, award-winning actress Gina Pareño has proven that while it is true that people get older, genuine talent in acting does not fade.
From being a lady tricycle driver during her teenage years and selling fresh fish that she herself has caught, to being an extra in some films, Pareño’s, undying passion for acting, not only became an award-winning actress in the country, but also outside of the Philippines.
Gina’s international recognitions included being best actress for her role in Kubrador (The Bet Collector) at the Osian’s Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema in New Delhi in July 2006 and winning best actress in Dante Mendoza’s Serbis which also won the latter Best Director in the Pacific Meridian International Film Festival of Asian-Pacific Countries in Vladivostok, Russia.
One might think that with these international recognitions, there is nothing that this 60-year-old can do; but the veteran actress admits there is one thing she has not done in her more than 40 years in show business—a stint onstage.
Then Chris Millado, the director of the American Hwangap, offered the veteran actress the role of Maria. Millado said that they really wanted Pareño to play the character; so he and the Tanghalang Filipino’s Artistic Director, Nanding Josef persuaded the actress to accept the role.
But Pareño’s acceptance of the role was in owed in largely to Jeffrey Jeturian, the director of Kubrador, who advised her to accept the role and take it as a new challenge in her acting career.
American Hwangap is an Asian-American comedy written by Lloyd Suh and was premiered March of 2009 at the Magic Theater in San Francisco and premiered in May of the same year. The play is about a Korean family who migrated to Texas.
Millado shared in an interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) that at first Pareño feared that she might not memorize the lines in an instant, but he explained to her that the lines can be memorized in parts.
The actress, despite her years of experience in acting, was grateful for her colleagues in the play for guiding her and making her experience a new-found challenge and content. She also said that she now enjoys what she is doing.
The American Hwangap will be played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of September beginning on September 10th and on October 1, 2, and 3 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
( Published September 3, 2010 in Red Carpet Magazine p. 2 )
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