Yen Santos on love scene with Piolo Pascual: ‘Kota na ‘ko!’

MANILA, Philippines — “Very intense.”

That is how actor Piolo Pascual described his intimate scenes with “Northern Lights” co-star Yen Santos.

“Very sensual si Yen. That’s also what I like about her. But everything’s done in good taste,” he assured in a recent press conference for the movie.

 “Kotang kota na po ako! Tapos na po ‘yung laban!” Yen exclaimed about her first movie ever, where no less than Piolo handpicked her to become his leading lady.

“Wala na po akong masabi kasi sa unang pelikula ko, s’ya agad ang naka-trabaho ko, kaya thank you, Lord!” shared Yen, who took four shooting days to be able to look straight at Piolo.

“Naka-ilang takes po ako kasi nauuna ‘yung kilig!” gushed Yen, who declared that she is currently single and available.

She admitted that she found it hard to act with Piolo. “S’yempre naman po, Piolo Pascual ‘yun, sinong ‘di kikiligin?”

To relax her, especially for the sensitive scenes, Piolo cracked jokes, said Santos.

Since seeing Yen in the TV series “Pure Love” and “All of Me,” Piolo had been eyeing her to star with him in the new movie he co-produced, “Northern Lights.”

“I believe she has a very distinct appearance — very raw…Ang ganda ganda ng mukha n’ya. She really has a star quality at very pleasant ang aura n’ya,” Piolo explained on why he singled out Yen among the many pretty actresses around.

Shot in New Zealand and Alaska, “Northern Lights” is a family drama involving a desolate man, a woman, and a child and their journey toward finding true love.

Piolo believes the movie is timely as there are many overseas Filipino workers now who are also longing to be their families left in the Philippines. He said he also experience such yearning whenever he has to be away from his parents to work.

Since he has seen Will Smith’s movie with his son, “In Pursuit of Happyness,” Piolo has also been wanting to do something like it.

The movie’s director, Dondon Santos, who shot the Coco Martin-starrer, “Noy,” loosely based “Northern Lights” on the relationship between Piolo and his son, Iñigo.

Piolo reportedly waived his talent fee for the big-budget flick, which is a joint venture by Star Cinema, Regal Films and Spring Films. Production teams from New Zealand and Australia were also employed, so the movie was done “like a Hollywood film,” said Piolo.

After taking a footage of the northern lights in Alaska, he learned that it will take another 20 years for the natural phenomenon to occur, so seeing the dancing lights in the movie is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he maintained.

According to mythology, the northern lights are souls of one’s dearly departed, a story also explored in the film.

Piolo looks forward to see the northern lights in the future to do “kalokohan” with his special someone, who is rumored to be actress Shaina Magdayao.

When asked if he is in love right now, Piolo affirmed, “In love.”

After “Northern Lights,” he will co-produce a movie starring Alessandra de Rossi.