Lovi Poe shares why new film ‘Guilty Pleasure’ is deeply personal
MANILA, Philippines — Lovi Poe couldn’t have found a more fitting partner than Regal Entertainment for C’est Lovi Productions’ first local film venture, “Guilty Pleasure,” which rolls into cinemas on Oct. 16.
C’est Lovi is the film outfit she founded with her husband, Monty Blencowe, a US-based producer. “He’s guiding me through it and, you know, teaching me how it is to produce. I take care more of the creative side of things, like coming up with concepts, acquiring scripts or writing my own script, and casting. I have the fun part of things; he does all the financial side of things,” she said in an intimate interview with The STAR and a few other media outlets.
“Our first local collaboration is with Regal, and it’s ‘Guilty Pleasure,’” continued Lovi, who also leads the cast alongside Jameson Blake and JM de Guzman.
The reason she chose to partner with them? “First of all, it’s Regal. I grew up and I started with Regal. They jump started my career,” recalled the actress, whose first big-screen role was in Regal’s “Shake, Rattle & Roll 9” in 2007. She was around 16 years old at that time.
“Regal Films is one of the most established production companies. They’ve been there for so many years and they’ve been supportive of me as an actress. And now that I’m getting into producing, talagang ‘dun mo makikita that it’s not just a transactional relationship because they are really here to support me as their Regal baby na ngayon iba na yung tinatahak na direction. So, who am I to say no to doing it with them? If anything, I’m so grateful they got me on board.”
“Guilty Pleasure” is directed by Connie Macatuno, whom Lovi previously worked with in the romance drama “Malaya,” and written by Noreen Capili. The material itself was the idea and directive of Regal chief executive officer (CEO) Roselle Monteverde, who wanted something different for Lovi.
“They came up with the screenplay, a legal drama — something that I’ve never done and I don’t think I’ve ever seen here,” Lovi said. “And sobrang ganda ng script because it’s not our usual drama, romantic comedy. This would spark a conversation. After watching this movie, I’m sure friends, barkada, talagang they’re all gonna have a conversation and talk about the real core of the movie.”
Talking about the film’s premise, Lovi teased, “Without spoiling, yes, we play lawyers here — me, JM and Jameson. And ipapakita kung ano yung nangyayari sa personal namin na buhay. Of course, what happens inside the courtroom is different from what happens outside. And gusto nila ipakita yung normalcy ng buhay ng pagiging isang lawyer.
“Also, we tackle social issues, which I don’t want to spoil because that’s the very core of the film. But yeah, it’s a story about betrayal and revenge. Betrayal of someone we love and how sometimes the people that we love and are closest to us invade our space more than anyone else. So we have to know how to draw the line and set boundaries.”
From the trailer alone, “Guilty Pleasure” promises to be a steamy legal drama, which Lovi was quick to confirm. “Yes, of course. I mean, steamy din talaga. ‘Di ko alam bakit ‘pag ako nandun, kailangan steamy siya,” she quipped.
But every steamy scene in the film is “choreographed” by direk Connie, making it look like a dance, according to the actress.
The filmmaker is very specific with what she wants, Lovi stressed. “Very detailed and I love it. Tawa kami ng tawa because may kanya-kanya kaming inputs and collaborative kasi si direk Connie. So (she would ask), ano sa tingin mo dapat natin gawin dito? Should it be this way? Things like that. She has her vision, and she would accept what comes naturally,” she said.
Lovi further shared the director’s “intentional” approach to make her execute the intimate scenes with her co-actor, Jameson, with nary a hitch.
“First time namin ever mag-work ni Jameson. Yun agad yung first scene namin. First day namin is an intimate scene. We had a lot of scenes together, tapos love scene pa yung iba. So, nice to meet you, Jameson. Hahaha!” she said.
“Pero ginawa din direk Connie ito nung nag-‘Malaya’ kami ni Zanjoe Marudo. I think it was on the first day of taping. Love scene on the first day, yun agad. Feeling ko sinasadya niya to break the ice.”
Meanwhile, “Guilty Pleasure” carries special meaning for Lovi as it was the final film she worked on with her late manager, Leo Dominguez, and one of the last projects approved by the late Regal matriarch, Mother Lily Monteverde. Leo passed away in May, and Mother Lily followed in August of this year.
“It’s very sad. Actually, I’ve said, this year has been tough in that sense because yung mga importanteng tao sa buhay ko, in our lives, suddenly, they passed. It’s not easy… With Tito Leo, he was not just my manager, he was like my ‘second mom.’ Basically, I would greet him on Mother’s Day and send him flowers on Mother’s Day, ‘cause that’s how I see him. And then, I suddenly lost that constant person I have and whom I could call anytime,” said Lovi.
“Para nga akong napilayan. Yun yung feeling ko. Sometimes, I still cry. It’s not easy but you have to get on with life. Actually it’s funny, tinapos niya movie ko, ‘Guilty Pleasure,’ closed my deals just before he passed, as in everything on the last shooting day. The next day, biglang yun ang nangyari, it was just so sudden.
“When we were shooting the official movie poster, that was the day he passed. I still went to the set, my face was really swollen, I kept crying, and when I say swollen, my eyes were completely shut. All of them were waiting for me to cancel our movie poster shoot.”
She continued, “But I didn’t cancel because sabi ko kung meron mang tao na gustong akong pumunta sa work, it would be him. I’m sorry if I’m getting into details but I would actually get up, I would cry in bed, get up, go to the shower, iyak na naman ako, go to the car and cry, bago ako bumaba ng car iyak ka ng iyak.
“When I got there — actually I already texted my makeup artist saying, ‘I need your help’ — she actually iced my face, massaging it. That’s why in the movie poster, you can’t see any trace of what happened that day. Sabi ko, I’m here for the people who believe in me, and that’s Tito Leo and Mother Lily as well.
“That’s why I really want this movie to work. I want people to watch it because this is one of the last films greenlit by Mother Lily. I want people to know and see the project that she was really proud of.”
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