"It’s also more challenging directing kids than adults," said direk Maryo, "They can test your patience. You cannot rush them; you must handle them with care and caution because they can be easily distracted. When that happens, they can’t hold or sustain their emotion."
Take Sharlene, for example, who plays six-year-old Gigi in Mga Anghel.
"One time," said direk Maryo, "I wanted her to cry in a scene. I wanted to ‘motivate’ her, so I told her, ‘Think that your baby brother is missing.’ In an instant, she was in tears so I immediately called for a ‘take.’ Kid actors are much too young to know about Method Acting; they use instincts."
Besides, kids don’t throw tantrums on the set and, unlike most adult actors, they don’t have to cope with a problematic lovelife – yet.
"To them," said direk Maryo, "the whole thing is just child play. They are so sincere when they say or do anything; they’re honest with their feelings."
Direk Maryo’s fondness for kid actors goes a long way back when he started in the movies as workshop instructor for the cast of Lupita Concio-Kashiwahara’s Alkitrang Dugo (inspired by the popular novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding which is about a group of kids stranded on an island and how their personalities deteriorate; starring the Sandico brothers Michael and Ricky, Amalia Braza and Eddie Villamayor whose sister, Nora Aunor, produced the movie).
When he started directing, most of his early movies dealt with the youth (High School Circa starring, among others, Roderick Paulate, etc.). He has done many other memorable movies with adult themes but he is best remembered for the youth-oriented ones. Who can ever forget the early ’80s Bagets Viva flick (which spawned a Part 2) that catapulted to stardom the likes of Aga Muhlach and Herbert Bautista?
Come to think of it, since remakes are back in fashion, isn’t direk Maryo toying with the idea of doing another Bagets movie, starring the new breed of teen idols and, why not, casting the original Bagets stars as the parents? Interesting, isn’t it?
"I doubt it," said direk Maryo. "I am not attuned to the teenagers of today as I was two decades ago. Noon, cassette pa lang ang uso; ngayon, iPod na, something alien to me. I can relate pa to the much younger people, like the ones in Mga Anghel."
The ABS-CBN soap reunites direk Maryo with Michiko Yamamoto, scriptwriter of Magnifico, one of his finest works which has earned praises not only here but in other parts of the world. Winner of the Kinderfilmswerk Grand Prix for Best Feature at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival from the International Jury and a Crystal Bear for Best Feature Film from the Children Jury in the same filmfest, Magnifico is the story of a small boy who is so good-hearted that he becomes an inspiration not only to his family but also to his townmates. The star of that movie, Jiro Manio, now a binatilyo, will join the cast of Mga Anghel anytime now.
"Jiro texted me, ‘Direk, ang ganda-ganda ng show mo. Pasali naman, o.’ Why not? Jiro is a good actor; he’s a plus factor to the soap."
However, he said that he doesn’t have any plan of "migrating" to the US, contrary to a story that he’d rather raise his and wife Charlene Gonzalez’s twins, Andres and Atasha, abroad.
"I still prefer to stay here," said Aga who just came back from a week-long trip to London where he and his OK Fine co-stars Rica Peralejo and Edu Manzano, together with Agot Isidro, did two shows for our kababayan there (sponsored by The Filipino Channel) and shot one OK Fine episode.
Everytime he gets a chance, Aga brings his family to Batangas where they stay in a tent for, sometimes, as long as two weeks.
"What a life!," said Aga. "No radio, no television. There’s no house in my farm yet, so we stay in a tent where we cook our own food. It’s a perfect way of family bonding."
Aga and Charlene’s fourth wedding anniversary was last May 28 but they decided to delay their celebration until late September (although they did make a quick trip to Hong Kong). Scheduled on the 28th of that month is the world premiere of his new Star Cinema starrer, Dubai (directed by Rory B. Quintos, and also starring Claudine Barretto and John Lloyd Cruz), in Dubai. Aga plans to bring along Charlene and from Dubai they might fly somewhere (Europe?) to complete their fourth-wedding-anniverary celebration. They always mark the event by going abroad, just the two of them.
Incidentally, yesterday’s story about Rica Peralejo clarifying that no "bastardization" of the National Anthem happened during one of the OK Fine stars’s shows in London drew several reactions.
One, from Walter Smith (no address given): In fairness to those stars who graced the London Barrio Fiesta in Hounslow, it is not true that they played disco music after our National Anthem. The entertainment started at midday and it was followed by two minutes of silence as a tribute to those who died and suffered during the 7/7 bombing in London. It was absolute silence and not disco music playing. I should know. I was there.
Two, from Jack Biantan of Edmonton, London: I was in Lampton Park, Hounslow, London, during the Barrio Fiesta. Any allegations against the ABS-CBN stars in the Internet never happened. Everything that Rica Peralejo said during your presscon was true. The London Barrio Fiesta is the most-awaited annual affair for all of us Filipinos here. Pinoys as far as Scotland and Wales come to Hounslow every year to get entertained and see their "own" Filipino celebs. Ang mga sumulat ng negative write-ups ay mga inggit lang. We thank ABS-CBN for spending a lot of money in sending the celebs here. Sa Pinas sa TV lang namin sila nakikita. Pero dito, personal na. Mabuhay sina Edu, Rica, Aga at Agot!
• Best wishes to the Pedro Sucaldito-Paula Sequio family members who had a grand reunion over the weekend at the Iloilo Golf Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo and in Bilidan, New Lucena, also in Iloilo. Belonging to that clan is Jobert Sucaldito who told Funfare that many Sucaldito family members flew to Iloilo from the States, Manila, Mindanao and other parts of the Visayas for the event. "It was a memorable reunion," said Jobert, "even if our beloved Lola Candelaria Sucaldito, wife of former Commissioner Rufo Sucaldito, passed away only a few days earlier. I belong to the fourth-generation Sucalditos. My father was the late lawyer Custodio Sucaldito, married to my beautiful stepmom Carmen Sorongon."
• From Chito Roño: The two Streetboys in Miss Saigon, Meynard Marcellano and Sherwin Roux, are part of the ensemble and not called background dancers. They have been with the official international touring company for five years and are now performing in Wales. They’re based in UK.