- Jane de Leon replaced Liza Soberano in Star Cinema’s Darna
- Darna is a Filipino superhero created by comics writer Mars Ravelo
Jane de Leon still can’t believe that she was chosen as the millennial superheroine in Star Cinema’s Darna.
According to MJ Felipe’s exclusive report on Star Cinema’s newest Darna, De Leon was initially asked on how committed she is to getting the role. She answered, “I will do everything and anything for the role because I believe in her, I believe in what Darna stands for.”
She was shocked when ABS-CBN Films’ managing director Olivia Lamasan broke the news to her, “Handa ka na ba? Handa ka na bang hawakan ang bato? Handa ka na bang Darna? Dahil binibigay na namin sa ‘yo ang Darna.”
Star Cinema’s Darna can be considered her launching pad to stardom.
Considering the names of the almost 300 celebrities who auditioned for the role including Julia Barretto, Maris Racal, Anna Luna, some beauty queens, and Kapuso stars, De Leon was “unanimously chosen” because the management sees big potential in her.
Darna director Jerrold Tarog, who also chose her, described De Leon as an instinctive actress.
“Pinresent na si Jane sa amin a couple of years ago, and among all the 13 noon na Mr. M (Johnny Manahan) presented from Star Magic, natatandaan ng isang talent handler na, ‘Inang. napansin mo na siya noon, itong batang ito puwedeng sumali ng beauty pageants. And then I saw her again in Halik. Sabi ko, ‘itong batang to, meron. There’s something about her,'” Lamasan said.
“Natuwa nga ako na isa siya sa mga nag-audition. Sabi ko ay there’s something about her. Pati si Direk Lauren (Dyogi) said there’s something about her. Bilang filmmakers may nakikita kami. Malakas ang instinct ng bata,” she said.
Jane De Leon grateful for being cast as ‘Darna’
“MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT PO SA TIWALA!” De Leon wrote on Instagram following the news, teasing that she will begin working on her new project “soon.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0AxxYPnJ3N/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Angel Locsin, who once played ‘Darna’ on television on GMA Network, said in 2017 that she would no longer reprise the iconic role. Liza Soberano was then tapped for the role, but she announced earlier in 2019 that she was backing out of the role because of a finger injury. Erik Matti was supposed to direct the long-awaited new Darna movie but he has since backed out of the project. Jerrold Tarog has taken over directorial duties.
