WELL-loved actors Ian Veneracion and Iza Calzado are starting the year with not one but two major opening-salvo projects.
Their much-awaited romance-drama series A Love to Last made its debut on ABS-CBN channel last week. The new show is Veneracion’s follow-up to the very successful run of Pangako sa ’Yo, which catapulted the 41-year-old actor to premium leading man status all over again. For this new soap opera, Veneracion has Bea Alonzo for his leading lady and Calzado plays his ex wife.
“I’m very happy with the way my career is progressing. I get to be part of a good TV show, and then find time to work on films that stir my interest and ignite my passion as actor,” he said.
Right after Pangako sa ’Yo, Veneracion starred in the 2016 Star Cinema movie The Achy-Breaky Hearts, which solidified his onscreen love team with Jodi Santamaria. He also found time to work with ace filmmaker Jerrold Tarog for a still untitled film and he enjoyed the experience tremendously.
During the last quarter of 2016, while starting work on A Love to Last, Veneracion could not say no to another film project offered by a group of producers that included Eduardo Rocha, Nando Ortigas and Atty. Joji Alonso.
The film is a local horror project, titled Ilawod, and was originally intended to be submitted to the just-concluded year-end all-Filipino Metro Manila Film Festival. Unfortunately, it was not finished on time.
“I’ve always believed things unravel at the right time. I don’t really dwell on what might or could have been, because something didn’t happen or a plan didn’t push through. What’s important is that we have a good movie for the audience,” he told us, adding, “I’m very confident about this movie. The script of Palanca award-winner Yvette Tan has been thoroughly researched and written very well. Our director Dan Villegas was clear with what he wanted for the film, and he’s one of the coolest guys to work with. And then there’s Iza Calzado, a beautiful soul and a very sensible artist. What more could I ask for?”
Both Veneracion and Calzado just came back from their respective family holiday vacations in different European countires, and both are in the thick of promoting A Love to Last and their movie Ilawod, which opens on January 18.
MAVERICK FILMMAKER FORAYS INTO HORROR
Perhaps, no one is more excited that Ilawod is hitting cinemas this week than the filmmaker, Dan Villegas.
Known for his string of very successful blockbuster romantic comedies, like English Only, Please!, WalangForever, The Break-Up Playlist, Always Be My Maybe and How To Be Yours, the maverick director is expected to continue his winning streak with this film about possession.
“I’m happy with my collaboration with the screenwriter. Water seems to be a favorite element in the works of Yvette Tan and in Ilawod, water is an essential part of the flow of the film’s narrative.”
The mild mannered and ever-so-cool Villegas explained that “ilawod” means downstream in English. “The film is my first brush with the horror genre, and let’s see how things go.”
Aside from Veneracion and Calzado, Ilawod features award-winning young actress Teri Malvar, Epi Quizon and Ruby Ruiz, and it also marks a big break for promising child actors Harvey Bautista and Xyriel Manabat.
On television, Villegas is calling the shots for the new drama series Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin, the reunion project of erstwhile reel- and real-life sweethearts Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu.
Surely, 2017 is off to an “upstream” start for Dan Villegas.