Derrick and Elle continue onscreen chemistry in GMA revenge drama Makiling

MANILA, Philippines — Derrick Monasterio and Elle Villanueva showed what they’re made of as a leading man and a promising female star in the drama series Return to Paradise. They clicked with each other on their first team-up, and their onscreen chemistry was undeniably natural.

It will be showcased again in the revenge drama titled Makiling, produced by GMA Public Affairs, starting today at 4 p.m. and airing thereafter on weekdays.

“Return to Paradise focuses on the romance of Red and Eden. Makiling, on the other hand, is all about revenge, mas may angst, mas may emotion (It has more angst and is more emotional),” responded Derrick to a question from The STAR that asked him and Elle to compare their two GMA Afternoon Prime shows narrative- and theme-wise. Their previous characters Red and Eden were college students who got marooned on an island after a plane crash.

In Makiling, Derrick and Elle play the habal-habal driver named Alex and the provincial lass Amira, respectively. Alex is the love interest of Amira in the story.    

“In Return to Paradise, my character is a very innocent woman. The story revolves around family and the two lovers. In Makiling, my character is also an innocent woman, very naïve, but she learns to stand up for herself,” shared Elle. “She somehow becomes a different person throughout the whole serye.”

If Makiling has two acts, viewers will see a dynamic character unfolding right before their very eyes.

“I think I like Amira’s story because mapapahalagahan mo yung change (you will appreciate the value of change). The lesson here is that change is good, but it will either make you or break you,” Elle piqued everyone’s interest.

Makiling is a follow-up project to Derrick and Elle’s Return to Paradise. Prior to this, she was part of the ensemble cast of Voltes V: Legacy, the local live-action TV adaptation of the Japanese animé series.

As for the Makiling plotline, it touches on issues such as traditional medicine, bullying, and taking revenge.

Elle shared that the country has its own traditional medicinal practices which include “paghihilot at may mga albularyo (massage and herbalism).”

“So, I think health is a personal matter, and I think a person should be informed about making choices for themselves. I think it’s also important that they have accessible and affordable healthcare.”

Her character, Amira, grows up in a family of herbal healers and carries on the tradition of folk medicine that most people in rural areas are aware of.

The story will also see Amira as a victim of bullying when she leaves their town for greener pastures in the city. 

“Wala po tayong makakamit na maganda sa bullying (nothing good will come out of bullying). Hurt people hurt people,” said Elle. “We are promoting the idea of standing up for yourself. So, I think kapag na-aabuso ka na ng sobra at wala ka nang makakampihan, ang makakampihan mo lang ay ang sarili mo (If someone gets to experience extreme abuse and has no one to turn to, he or she has only himself or herself to rely on).”

When the abuse is unbearable, people tend to get back at those who have hurt them. The possible reason for it is, as Derrick put it, “If you feel you’ve done everything to seek justice, but hindi pa rin dumarating sa’yo (but the latter remains elusive to you).”

Asked if they received any specific instructions regarding the portrayal of their characters, Derrick said, “Siguro dapat ma-feel mo lang yung character mo and internalize lang talaga, and the script mastery (You should feel and internalize your character. You should also have mastery of the script).”

Given what her character has gone through at the hands of bullies called Crazy 5, getting out of Amira is a challenge for Elle.

“Kailangan matibay ang mental health mo. Kailangan healthy ka, physically and emotionally (you need to have strong mental health. You have to be physically and emotionally healthy). You should know when to say stop and pause,” said she.

How’s Derrick and Elle’s personal and professional lives after their stint in Return to Paradise?

“Ayun, naging kami. After Return to Paradise, we developed our friendship into something more, and it’s still growing stronger, and hopefully, end-game na namin ang isa’t-isa,” answered he. According to reports, Derrick and Elle officially became a couple in August of last year.

“Very good, actually,” said Elle. “We never did expect that at all, it was like a surprise. It was actually a gift. He is a blessing to me. The shows we have are blessings to us. We are really grateful to GMA and the people that connected us together because naging fruitful siya, eh, hindi lang sa career namin, pati si personal life namin.”

(Watch Makiling weekdays on GMA. It is also available on GMA Pinoy TV.)