Donny Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa to headline the film “GG”
Donny Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa are set to be in a movie together for the first time.
Maricel plays mother to Donny in his upcoming movie, “GG” or “Good Game,” which is dubbed as the first e-sports film in the Philippines.
In a media conference in September, Donny tells FreebieMNL that it has been his dream to work with his mother ever since he joined showbiz.
He says, “Sobrang dream come true ito para sa akin. To be honest, ever since pumasok ako sa showbiz, isang pangarap ko talaga is to have a project with my mom, and when we read the script, when we were given the idea of just portraying a mother and a son in this way, in this manner, parang nag-iisang karangalan na makasama ko ang isang Maricel Laxa.
“It will be something I’m sure we will look back on as the years go by, as a movie that we will never probably never forget.”
In the film, Donny plays a gamer who has a strained relationship with his mother. But the dynamics of the mother and son in the film are far from what Donny and Maricel have in real life.
Donny says about this, “Kaya nga medyo weird sa set. Minsan, hindi ko alam gagawin ko if I will greet her the same way or not kasi iba yung eksena din. So, mag-i-internalize ba kami? Hindi awkward, e. Pero hindi ko ma-explain.
“Basta yung feeling na papasok ka ‘tapos nanay mo yung kaeksena mo, it’s so overwhelming, and sometimes, I don’t know how to attack the scene.
“Kaya sobrang naging malaking tulong talaga na okay yung dynamics namin in real life and, of course, with everyone in the team helping us portray two completely different characters even if we really are mother and son, that’s the most important thing. Sana makita ng audience yun.”
“GG,” directed by Prime Cruz, is already in its post-production stage and is one of the films vying to get the last four slots for the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival.
Maricel on working with kids
As for Maricel, she is not just working with Donny but also with her daughter, Hannah, who is the creative producer of the film.
In fact, it was her family who really convinced her to go back to showbiz after long years of hiatus.
She tells FreebieMNL, “I think it’s a product of obeying your children kasi sila naman nagpilit sa akin na bumalik sa pelikula.
“Akala ko wala na talaga sa sistema ko yung showbiz pero once an actor, always an actor, I guess, and they knew that it was very special in my heart. So, here I am.”
What is it like working with her kids?
Maricel answers with a smile, “Well, basta lang sumusunod ako sa kanila, wala kaming problema!”
She then adds, “Ibig sabihin kasi, maayos ko naman siguro silang pinalaki and they are experts in their field. So, respeto na lang ang ibibigay ko.”
Donny reacts, “Grabe naman yung expert sa field! Parang ikaw yun, mom.”
Donny also recalls how they convinced Maricel to become part of “GG.”
He quips, “Sabi ni Hannah, ‘Mom, ikaw yung mom.’ Yun na, ‘tapos na usapan!”
The Kapamilya actor then explains, “Hindi, I’m sure it went through a whole process of looking at the script, looking at the material.
“Hindi rin naman gagawa si mommy ng project na she doesn’t fully believe in especially this, like Hannah is the creative producer, we have an amazing cast, amazing story.
“Sayang wala dito si Direk Prime, sobrang hardworking niya. I think it was a process of evaluating that this is the best project for me and her to be a part of, and it all worked out I guess.”
Aside from Donny and Maricel, the movie also features Boots Anson-Roa and Baron Geisler in important roles. Igi Boy Flores, Johannes Risler, Gold Aceron, and Kaleb Ong.
The movie also produced a real-life computer game to be used in the movie called “Requiem of GG.”
READ ALSO: Donny Pangilinan To Work With Family In Upcoming Film
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