Kim Chiu, Jake Ejercito proud to showcase Philippines to foreign audiences in Prime Video series
Kim Chiu and Jake Ejercito turn the spotlight on Filipino fashion and Manila as a destination in their Prime Video series, Fit Check: Confessions of an Ukay Queen.
Produced by ABS-CBN Entertainment and Dreamscape Entertainment, the Amazon Original romantic-comedy/drama is now streaming in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Worth noting is how Manila and its old charm — not the usual grime and grittiness — become a character of its own in this series.
“I’m very happy and very thankful of course, we’re able to show the Philippines in other countries. I think this is also going to be the start of a great partnership between Dreamscape and Prime Video,” Kim told The STAR in a one-on-one chat recently.
“And of course, ‘pag ikaw nanonood ka ng mga pelikula ng mga banyaga, mga foreigner, parang gusto mo rin pumunta sa Italy, US, Los Angeles… You want to feel (what it’s like to be there). And we want the same experience for our viewers. We want to make them feel na kahit hindi sila Filipino, maganda sa Pilipinas.”
According to Jake, the production was able to film at the Manila Central Post Office, one of the capital city’s iconic heritage landmarks, before it was severely damaged by fire last May. They also shot in Quiapo and at the Manila Hotel.
“Different parts of Manila really,” he added.
But why Manila?
“Because Manila, para siyang New York or the US, na andun lahat ng opportunities… Parang dun mo mabubuo yung dreams mo ‘pag sumabak ka sa Manila,” said Kim.
She also said that they’re very proud of the shots. Clearly, she added, they were well-prepared for. Even during the taping period itself, they couldn’t help but be impressed by the “beauty of Manila.” The series could help bring in tourism.
“Sa location namin, pinakita talaga namin ang ganda ng Manila. So, pagkapanood nito ng buong mundo, parang uy, ganyan pala sa Manila, Philippines, maka visit nga,” Kim said.
Besides the setting, Fit Check offers a glimpse into the fashion industry in the country.
ABS-CBN content development head Nathaniel Arciaga said, “It’s showcasing Filipino culture kind of series and we zeroed in on fashion because everybody loves fashion. But also with the angle of ukay because ukay is something that’s distinctly Filipino.”
“In fact, we have to explain to the Amazon bosses — we talked to the bosses in the US and Singapore — the concept of ukay, which is to rummage… thrifting. They were very interested, they thought, wow, that’s so interesting because (of the idea) yung mga tinapon ng ibang tao, napapakinabangan pa ng iba.
“And for me, personally, it speaks to the repurposing and redirection of things that have been thrown away, and finding new purpose for them. That’s what we latched on as a theme and a concept.”
In Fit Check, Kim plays the female lead Melanie dela Cruz, an ukay-ukay seller who is determined to pursue her big dream of becoming a fashion designer.
“My character and I are the same when it comes to achieving our goals. We’re both go-getters,” said Kim on how similar or different she is to her character. “Na parang walang makakapigil, gagawin ko gusto ko. (As if nothing can stop me, I will do what I want.””
“Then her soft side… she was raised by her lola (grandmother), I was also raised by my lola. And then (like her), I have friends and barkada whom I draw my strength from whenever I lose hope.”
As an aspiring fashion designer, Kim’s Melanie is into upcycled fashion or creatively “recycling” and “repurposing” second-hand wear.
Channeling her character, Kim wore a jeepney-inspired outfit during this interview.
“Meron siyang mga foil, pantanggal ng shape. It has linoleum (covering) sa mga upuan, stuff you hang on the rear mirror kasi mga pantanggal malas daw ang mga ganito,” she described her outfit during the separate presscon.
“I am proud to represent the Philippines and this is made by ha.mu, an up-and-coming designer. So they’re like Melanie dela Cruz, they want to aim big, dream high and start their passion for fashion. And I super support them and I hope they become big in the next month or in the next year.”
Kim further shared that real people in the business, such as fashion designer Michael Leyva, fashion show director Robbie Carmona and makeup artist Juan Sarte, are having cameos in the series.
Jake Ejercito, on the other hand, plays the male lead Chris Blanco, the son of a business magnate (Christopher de Leon), who in the process of trying to prove himself, finds a business opportunity and then romance with Kim’s character.
“Chris is someone arrogant, proud and medyo may yabang but it’s a facade. Deep inside, he’s longing to be accepted by his father,” he said.
“Mayabang ba ako (Am I arrogant)?” Jake jokingly asked his leading lady. “Hindi naman siguro, ‘di ba (Maybe not, right?). That’s the difference with us. Humility is very important to me so, I guess, that’s where we differ.”
As for similarities, the actor said, “We’re both strong-willed. And we all just want to be loved at the end of day.”
This is the first time Jake and Kim are paired together in an acting project.
“We had a lot of preparations. We had workshops before we started rolling,” he said.
“But we had never met each other before this.”
“Yes, our paths never crossed until this project,” agreed Kim. “But my jokes click with him, they’re my icebreakers. For example, ano yung mga favorite joke ng mga magician? Turon!!!”
“That’s it (laughs). That’s how she breaks the ice. But really, the workshops helped (build) our chemistry on camera.”
“We really got to know each other,” added Kim.
“Once you get to know Kim, it’s really easy to get along with her. She was the glue that kept us together (during the lock-in taping late last year). Her energy, it never went down. It’s contagious,” Jake added.
Other Fit Check cast members are Kylie Verzosa, Justine Luzares, Kaladkaren Davila, Frenchie Dy, Lie Reposposa, Liza Lorena, Angel Aquino and Christopher de Leon.
“It’s a big project. I know it’s going to be shown all over. It has a unique concept — the ukay queen, the fashion world — and then it promotes our culture,” said the veteran actor Christopher.
“And we have a great cast, we have good music, and it’s Dreamscape. This one is quite an experience. Actually, this was offered to me first before Cattleya Killer (also available on Prime Video). They had a big concept and big dream for this project. I had to grab it right away.”
For Angel, who was once part of the modeling and pageant worlds, Fit Check was an opportunity to revisit the past.
Nevertheless, the veteran actress said, “I would like to think we were cast beyond how we were as people from fashion and pageantry and beauty. I think malaking merit, I guess, our past work. And because of that, we complemented everybody, especially Kim.”
She further said, “I think our experiences gelled well with everybody else’s experiences… If anything, I just had to recall how it was to be a model, yung stance of a model. Otherwise, it really needed the heart more than what we represented from people of that field.”
(Fit Check: Confessions of an Ukay Queen is now streaming on Prime Video.)
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