Actress Sanya Lopez has revealed that her initial perceptions of co-star Xian Lim were quickly overturned thanks to his proactive approach in establishing rapport among their fellow cast members.
During a press conference held in Quezon City, Lopez shared her first impression of Lim during their initial meeting at the story conference. “First time namin nagkita, storycon pa lang, ang first impression ko talaga sa kanya, parang hindi ko talaga siya makaka-usap, parang ang taas-taas ni Xian Lim, bukod sa height,” she recalled.
However, Lopez went on to commend Lim for his efforts in breaking the ice. “Pero in fairness talaga sa kanya, binasag niya ‘yung wall sa amin para magkaroon kami ng connection. Kumbaga pag-usapan namin agad ang pwede naming pag-usapan para maka-help dito sa pelikulang ito. Kaya I’m happy na etong grupo na ito ang nakasama ko kasi solid sila,” she added.
Known for her portrayal of empowered characters on television, including roles in ‘Encantadia’ and as the titular characters in ‘First Yaya’ and ‘First Lady,’ Lopez also discussed director Mark Reyes’s initial reservations about her more sensual scenes in ‘Playtime.’
Director Mark Reyes, who has a longstanding professional relationship with Lopez since ‘The Half Sisters” and ‘Encantadia,’ expressed his concerns about pushing her boundaries in the film. “The way I see Sanya, she’s my baby. She grew up with me starting from ‘The Half Sisters.’ And then in one scene, she has to strip. ‘Yung ganun. Natatakot ako kasi you know she’s the ‘First Lady’ of GMA and then am gonna do this to her. That was the tight room I was walking on,” Reyes explained.
Despite initial apprehensions, Lopez fully trusted Reyes’s guidance. “Laking Direk Mark ako. Totoo ‘yun. ‘Half Sisters’ pa lang, ‘Encantadia’ pa lang kung saan ako nagsimula, andiyan na si Direk Mark para i-guide ako. Kaya nu’ng nalaman ko na siya talaga ang magdi-direk nito, 100% nandun ako. Committed talaga ako agad kasi si Direk Mark ‘yun,” she affirmed.
‘Playtime,’ starring Sanya Lopez, Xian Lim, Coleen Garcia, and Faye Lorenzo, under the direction of Mark Reyes, is set to premiere in local cinemas on June 12.
