REFLECTING the internal conflicts in an actor’s mind, conveying the sense of isolation felt during the pandemic, and opening doors for challenging psychological dramas in the Philippines all describe the film Real Life Fiction.
The film follows Paco, a renowned actor (played by real-life celebrity Piolo Pascual) who loses his sense of self after years of being one of the most famous personalities in his time. When he decides to write, direct, and act in his most personal project yet, his on-and-off-screen muse Paula (played by Jasmine Curtis-Smith) becomes his crutch in navigating both real and fictional worlds.
Speaking at a Quezon City press conference on Aug. 21, Mr. Pascual said that this role is a huge responsibility as it is something he hasn’t played before — but also a relatable one that faces an actor’s life and existence head-on.
The R-rated drama thriller, directed by Paul Soriano and shot during the height of the pandemic, also stars Epy Quizon as Paco’s stern yet considerate manager, and filmmaker Lav Diaz in a small role as the truth-speaking owner of an eclectic pawnshop.
Made at a time where no one knew what would happen the next day, director Mr. Soriano’s pitch to the two actors easily struck a chord. Mr. Pascual in particular saw himself in the character of Paco.
However, the main difference between the actor and the character is that Mr. Pascual has learned to be in tune with himself. “It’s hard to kind of distinguish who you are in front of a cam or off-cam. It happens all the time because, of course, sometimes you’re too tired and your defenses are down. There are a lot of blurry moments, but you have to live with it and deal with it as much as you can because you don’t have any choice but to be the person that people expect you to be,” he said.
For Ms. Curtis-Smith, who has been consistently active in film and television for over a decade, the intriguing script and the chance to act alongside Mr. Pascual made the project easy to take on. She described the challenge of Paula’s role as learning to “say no to your reality but, at the same time, give life to it as if it’s not you.”
“I learned from Paula’s journey. When it came to Paco and addressing her problems and boundaries with him, there are things that apply to me as an actor that I can also use,” she said.
A PANDEMIC PROJECTThe film makes a case for what can be achieved with limited resources, with much of it taking place in the interiors of a hotel where the characters are staying.
“We shot this for a couple of weeks during the pandemic. The whole hotel was locked up so we weren’t allowed to leave. It was actually so much fun because everything was limited, so we really had to focus on our characters,” said Mr. Pascual.
He added that, despite the small team, everyone was fueled by the excitement of having work in the midst of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Ms. Curtis-Smith took the unique conditions they were working under as a chance to use method acting, something she hasn’t really done before.
“Previously, I’ve been able to use other techniques or not really have to believe that I am the character. But with this, it was so easy for me to allow myself to become Paula because it was so close to reality and the proximity allowed us to work so closely with the material,” she said.
With that said, neither of the actors found the job difficult, with the main challenge being “getting used to shooting everything indoors only.”
TAPPING DIFFERENT MARKETSThe film is but one of many in the current phase of Mr. Pascual’s career, where he now has more freedom to do a variety of challenging roles. Like his character in the film, method acting is his style but also something to be wary of.
“The best work takes us to a different place. I wake up wearing a different hat every day, so there’s no other way but to move on,” he said at the press conference. “After I did Mallari [a time-bending horror film revolving around a serial killer] my director kept telling me that you have to shake this off, do something, go on vacation. The next day, I was ready to rehearse for a concert.”
On Ms. Curtis-Smith’s part, jumping from Real Life Fiction to the local K-drama adaptation of Descendants of the Sun was a welcome change. “I was really forced to cut off from playing this intense role of an actress and girlfriend caught up in a man’s emotions and existential problems,” she said.
Right now, she is starring in the teleserye Asawa ng Asawa Ko, which has been taping and airing for almost a year, allowing her to “easily separate from that role already.”
“The investment that you do as a character, sometimes it’s hard to shake off because your body doesn’t know that it’s not real. You have to consciously stop, put yourself into a mini therapy session, and say, ‘you know what, this is not you’,” she explained.
Both actors come from playing antagonists in horror movies — Mr. Pascual as the titular occult priest in Mallari and Ms. Curtis-Smith as the deceiving diwata in In My Mother’s Skin. Now taking on a psychological drama, they expressed their appreciation for “less mainstream roles.”
“The pandemic made me hungry for new roles and, with the emergence of streaming platforms, you have different markets you can tap,” Mr. Pascual said. “Some of the global access to content nowadays makes it easier for us to choose the right project. You’re not stuck anymore to one genre so we’re able to explore different genres.”
Produced by TEN17P, Viva Films, and Spring Films and distributed by Black Cap Pictures, the R-16-rated Real Life Fiction will open exclusively in SM Cinemas on Aug. 28. — Brontë H. Lacsamana