Claudine Barretto was too affected by the death of Director Wenn V. Deramas, that she didn’t even have the courage to look at his remains. When the actress went to the wake of the Direk Wenn, she rushed out and broke down during an interview with MJ Felipe.
The actress said that two weeks prior to his fatal heart attack, she still talked to Direk Wenn about the details of the movie they were about to make. She said that on the day he died, he still texted her in the morning.
Asked how she would move on from the sudden death of Direk Wenn, Claudine started crying and said, “I’m not okay. I don’t know how to move on.” She said it’s so hard to move on if one part of your life is not there anymore.
In-between tears Claudine continued, “Nawalan ako ng kakampi. Even nung times na wala akong tiwala sa sarili ko at walang naniniwala sa akin, sya lang. Sya lang talaga yung naniwala.” (I lost my ally. Even during those times when I didn’t have confidence in myself and nobody believed me, it’s only him who believed me.).
“In so many times, in so many ways, he was my rock, he was my strength, ” the actress said.
MJ asked if it was only Direk Wenn who took the side of Claudine during that time when everyone was against her. The actress said tearfully, “Yes, vocally, yung talagang dinefend ako.” (Yes, vocally, he really defended me).
Asked what advice Direk Wenn gave her during those times when she had lots of controversial issues about her, Claudine answered, “Na huwag mag breakdown. Kailangan kong magpakatatag para sa mga anak ko. Na hindi nya binuo ang isang Claudine Barretto para lang sirain ng ibang tao.” (Not to break down. That I have to be strong for my children. That he didn’t make a Claudine Barretto only to be destroyed by other people.)
Claudine went on and said that Direk Wenn always gave her words of encouragement. The actress said that she held on to Direk Wenn’s words, that she followed his guidance.
It was Direk Wenn’s advice for her to be strong and be positive about every situation, no matter how bad it is, that Claudine values up to now. She said she owes a lot of her strength to Direk Wenn who always built her self-esteem.
Claudine said that she had undergone a lot of trials in her life but it’s the first time that she finds the pain unbearable. Crying continuously, she admitted she’s breaking down and said she lost somebody who’s more than a family to her. The actress says she may be selfish since she still wants him around.
Aside from wishing that Direk Wenn could still help her cope in her life even if he’s on the other side, Claudine also wished he’s happy because he is now with Rico (Yan). At that, she smiled a bit.
In the last few minutes of the interview, Claudine said there’s no one like Direk Wenn whom she can lean on. She said that with Direk Wenn gone, she can now only rely on her parents and God.
Direk Wenn took Claudine under his wing since she took the lead role as Olivia in the teleserye “Mula Sa Puso”. Claudine was only 18 then and was relatively new in showbusiness. It was also the first major tv series for Direk Wenn. For the next decade, the two of them would work together in five more teleseryes and some films.
So it’s not surprising that the bond between Claudine and Direk Wenn was very strong. Direk Wenn was her mentor, friend, and confidante.
