Enrique Gil on acting comeback: ‘Sa tagal kong nawala, parang return to zero na naman ako’
“Sa tagal kong nawala, parang return to zero na naman ako.”
After a three-year showbiz hiatus, Enrique Gil stars in a comedy film, titled “I am Not Big Bird”, which he described as something “different” and one that he has “never done before.”
Enrique will be co-producing the Victor Villanueva film under his Make-A-Break Productions, along with ABS-CBN Films and Anima Studios.
“Ang character ni Luis Carpio ay parang 30-year-old virgin ang dating, na for five years may girlfriend siya, but since walang nangyayari, when he proposed binasted siya. So heartbroken, he and his barkada go to Thailand for this crazy adventure and pagdating dun kamukha niya pala si Big Bird, a famous pornstar in that country, who I will also be playing.” Enrique described.
The film is co-written by Palanca awardee Lilit Reyes and Joma Labayen. The cast members were handpicked by Enrique himself, comprising comedians Pepe Herera, Red Ollerom, and actor and model Nikko Natividad.
“Well, siyempre, napakahusay na aktor nito,” he said, referring to comedian Pepe. “So nung sinabi kong comedy gusto ko talaga full-blown comedy so I had to get Pepe. I also had to get Red, who is a true stand-up comedian. Of course, si Nikko sobrang magaling talaga. He is one funny guy, lalo na sa role niya [as a metrosexual], bagay na bagay talaga, so it just made sense,” Enrique explained.
Enrique gave his reasons for taking on such a project, saying that his being a fan of comedy came from his father who used to be a “comedian, magician, and a clown.” He explained, “He always used to tell me that laughter was the best medicine and so yun, it just struck me that I haven’t really done any comedy films so sabi ko I don’t want to do something na nagawa ko na. I wanna do something different.”
He added, “More than anything, I just want a good time. I want the people to have a good time. I just want them to be happy and to laugh sa lahat ng stress sa buhay.”
Taking on a risky endeavor for his comeback to showbiz, Enrique said that he also questioned himself, asking if this was the right decision to make. “Reading the script pa lang, ‘sabi ko tama ba itong gagawin ko?’ There’s concern kasi I’ve never done this before, but those concerns and reservations also pushed me to want to do it talaga,” he said.
The actor said the project meant that he was ready to step out of his comfort zone. “I think it’s good because the problem is if you’re too comfortable, you don’t move forward,” he said.
Enrique said his reasons for playing the role of producer in some of his recent endeavors was that he, “Just wanted to leave something na kahit wala na ako in front of the camera in the future, I can still provide content and entertainment for Filipinos.”
“A year ago I was at the point na gusto ko na tahimik na lang yung buhay ko. I really walked away from showbiz. I wanted to focus on my business, but it didn’t sit well with me. I just can’t leave the industry na wala akong iiwan, more than the projects I’ve done. We talked with some of the writers from ABS-CBN before and bigla na lang nabuo ito out of nowhere. Siguro kahit matanda na ako, kahit di na ako pwede umarte sa harap ng camera, nakapagbibigay pa rin ako kahit papaano ng entertainment sa Pilipinas,” he declared.
The actor also said that he has future projects lined up, all in different genres that are not commonly found in the film industry. Enrique, who signed a new contract with ABS-CBN in April, also revealed an upcoming TV series.
Held at Ugly Duck Poblacion, the event on June 12 marked ANIMA’s 7th anniversary as a studio and its 1st anniversary as a business unit under KROMA Entertainment. ANIMA successfully rebranded from Globe Studios previously—an important milestone that paved the way for the studio’s notable growth and progress in the industry.
ANIMA is a Philippine-based entertainment studio under KROMA Entertainment that is committed to quality storytelling. ANIMA Studios has garnered critical acclaim and won numerous awards for its production of visually stunning and compelling stories that cut across genres including “Leonor Will Never Die,” “OTJ: The Missing 8,” and “Fan Girl.”
Head of Studio Bianca Balbuena-Liew announced the two other films to be released this year: Samantha Lee’s “Rookie” and Kevin Mayuga’s “When This is All Over”, both entries to the 2023 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent FIilm Festival in August; and Quark Henares’ “Marupok AF (Where is the Lie?).” She said, “ANIMA Studios has embarked on a journey of growth, innovation, and creativity. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and to paint the full spectrum of emotions across genres. We have films winning in Sundance, Toronto, Venice and Berlin. We have been nominated at the Emmys. We have fielded an entry to the Oscars. We have the first Netflix Originals film, the highest grossing MMFF entry at the height of the pandemic, and have provided content that trended to the number 1 spot in international streaming sites. We have discovered some of the new voices of Philippine cinema.”
Future Horizons also served as a platform for ANIMA Studios to celebrate the individuals behind and before the cameras through the years. “This event is not only a celebration of our accomplishments but also a tribute to the invaluable support and collaboration we have received from our esteemed collaborators, from directors, actors and writers, to our staff and crew, and to our homebase KROMA Entertainment,” Balbuena added.
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Get to know more info on Rookie and Where is the Lie?:
The first film announced that evening was Cinemalaya entry “Rookie,” a coming-of-age love story of an awkward 6-foot teen who is forced to learn and play volleyball half-heartedly when the Catholic school she transferred to did not have a basketball team. Everything changed when she met their star player. Rookie stars Aya Fernandez and Pam Tingjuy, while Agot Isidro plays the team coach. “Rookie” was written by Natts Jadaone and directed by Samantha Lee.
ANIMA’s second entry to Cinemalaya this year is “When This Is All Over,” a trippy, mind-bending story starring actor-musician Juan Karlos. The film revolves around the biggest illegal rave party the lockdown has ever seen— a response to the repressions caused by both social division and social distancing. “When This Is All Over” was directed by Kevin Mayuga.
“Rookie” and “When This Is All Over” will be shown at the 2023 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines from August 5 to 14 as well as select SM and Ayala Cinemas from August 10 to 16.
Closing out Cinemalaya is “Marupok AF (‘Where Is The Lie?’),” the Quark Henares-directed movie that has made the rounds in international festivals this year including Slamdance, the Udine Far East Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The dark comedy, inspired by a real-life Twitter thread on catfishing, stars EJ Jallorina, Royce Cabrera, and Maris Racal.
