Why was Raven Rigor “takot na takot” to shoot the intense scene in “Dirty Linen?”
ABS-CBN’s primetime series, “Dirty Linen,” has positioned itself as an acting piece for the actors part of it.
Netizens have been praising each scene that shows the prowess and caliber of its veteran cast: Joel Torre, Angel Aquino, Tessie Tomas, Janice de Belen, Epy Quizon, and John Arcilla.
Its prime stars, Janine Gutierrez, Zanjoe Marudo, Jennica Garcia, Christian Bables, and JC Santos, are also admired for their talent, especially in the heavy scenes they do in the show.
The show’s teen cast, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Xyriel Manabat, and Raven Rigor, are also able to hone their craft in their scenes, most of the time with veteran actors.
But before the show airs its final episode, three of them were given a chance to showcase their skills through a heavy, emotional scene, and without the presence of any veteran actor: Francine, Xyriel, and Raven.
The scene was an intense confrontation scene where siblings Tonet (Xyriel) and Clint (Raven) were mourning the loss of their father, Ador (Epy).
The two blamed their cousin, Chiara (Francine), and her sister Alexa (Janine) for Ador’s death. The scene required Xyriel and Raven let out the best of their emotions: from tears to anger to mourning.
In the recent finale media conference of “Dirty Linen,” FreebieMNL asked Francine, Xyriel, and Raven about their process in doing such a heavy scene without the veteran actors.
In the case of Francine, she knew that it wasn’t Chiara’s scene so she had to step down a little bit but still remain connected to her character.
She says, “Alam kong hindi siya kay Chiara, e. Hindi niya eksena yun, eksena po yun ng magkapatid and sobrang nakakatuwa lang din po kasi hindi ko naman po pinlano na maki-iyak ako sa kanila, na talagang sigawan ko na dapat, ganito rin ako kasi ganito magiging reaction nila.
“Mas naging ganun po yung pagkaka-portray ko doon sa eksena because of Xyriel and Raven. Mas sa kanila ako nakahugot ng emosyon, sa kanila ko nakita na, ‘Ah, dapat ganito yung magiging reaction ko. Dapat hindi ako OA.’
“Kasi, sa line ni Tonet, tama naman talaga siya, e. Wala akong laban doon and hindi yun eksena ni Chiara, sa pamilya nila Tonet yan.“
As for Xyriel, she credits the bond that the young cast was able to build, as it wouldn’t be that effective if they are not connected to each other.
Xyriel explains, “Doon po talaga makikita yung connection and yung bond na nabuo namin kasi we really helped each other po.
“Kung kina-kailangan pong hugutan namin yung isa’t isa, maghawak kami ng kamay, magsigawan kaming tatlo bago pa po mag-take, talagang ifi-feed namin sa isa’t isa yung kailangan naming motivation, kailangan naming pag-i-internalize.
“Para po talaga kaming pamilya doon na talagang naghuhugutan kami sa isa’t isa. So, hindi po siya technicality, more on emotion. Hindi namin siya inisip, tinap lang namin siya. Hindi namin siya pinlano, nag-show lang po talaga siya.”
READ ALSO: Xyriel Manabat Opens Up To Getting A Nose Job
Xyriel’s surprise slap to Raven
As for Raven, he humbly admitted he was “takot na takot” when he found out he will be doing such a heavy scene.
Among the three, Raven is the newbie in the business. He just joined show business in 2021 via The Squad Plus. Francine, on the other hand, has been a talent of ABS-CBN before getting her big break in the 2018 afternoon series “Kadenang Ginto.”
Xyriel, of course, is best known as a child star, playing the young Agua and Bendita in “Rod Santiago’s Agua Bendita” in 2010, and eventually headlining shows such as “Momay” and “100 Days To Heaven.” She also landed the role of the young Maja Salvador in the 2017 series “Wildflower.”
But more than his experience in showbiz, Raven is used to displaying anger and arrogance in most of his scenes prior to this emotional scene.
He says, “Naalala ko, yung scene na yun, takot na takot akong i-shoot kasi parang more on yung character ko kasi, madalas galit, nakasinghal, naninigaw ng kapatid.
“Pero noong nabasa ko yung script, super thankful ako na kinakabahan kasi, ‘Hala, paano ko ito ipu-pull off? Parang ngayon lang ako magkaka-eksena ulit after a long time na kailangan talagang i-feel.’
“Pero kapag iniisip ko yung eksena na yun, napa-proud ako kay Xy and Francine na ang galing noon talaga kasi parang hindi talaga ako makaka-pull off kung wala kayo noon.”
Raven even had to get inside a restroom alone and internalize his character to pull off tears.
Laughing, he recalls, “Naalala ko pa, nag-CR ako noon ‘tapos tina-try ko umiyak sa CR kasi para mas ma-feel ko. ‘Tapos si Kuya, nagbukas ng pinto, umiiyak ako!”
“Tapos sabi ko, ‘Start na po ba? Kasi naiiyak na po ako.’ ‘Tapos kabang kaba ako, thankful ako kay Xy and Chin kasi hawak-hawak talaga kami ng kamay noon, kapit-kapit talaga.
“Nagtutulungan kami, parang napi-feel namin yung isa’t isa lalo na ako na parang kinakabahan ako, kapit kapit kami ‘tapos iyak talaga ‘tapos parang hindi na namin inisip yung line.
“Pumick-up ako noong sinampal ako ni Xy, nagulat ako ‘tapos nag-work talaga siya.”
Apparently, there was a story behind Xyriel’s slap: Raven doesn’t know it was coming!
Xyriel explains, “Meron po kasi kaming pinaka-sweet na director na mahinhin, never magiging violent! Sabi niya po habang nag-i-internalize yung Raven sa gilid, ‘Pagka nagwala na siya, siyempre magwawala yan, sampalin mo para matauhan, para kumalma, para matahimik!’
“Ayun, nagulat lang po si Kuya. Buti na-pull off po ni Kuya na hindi siya mawawala. Collaborative po kasi yung director namin,” pertaining to Andoy Ranay, who is one of the show’s directors with Onat Diaz.
The slap not only proved to be effective in the scene, but it also brought good words from Janice de Belen to Raven, saying that he has the makings of a good actor because he did not stutter and remained in character despite the surprise.
“Dirty Linen” is set to end its run on August 25 after eight months of airing.
READ ALSO: Why Is Jennica Garcia Thankful To ABS-CBN, GMA-7, PIE Channel
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