The red carpet was rolled out in Mandaluyong on Tuesday, July 29, as the much-anticipated romantic-comedy ‘Meg & Ryan’, starring Rhian Ramos and JC Santos, finally held its premiere night.
After two years of post-production, the Catherine Camarillo-directed film is now ready to hit Philippine cinemas starting August 6.
The event was attended by a host of celebrities and industry insiders, with one surprise appearance that caught everyone’s attention—Jericho Rosales. The actor, who previously worked with director Cathy Camarillo in the 2018 primetime series ‘Halik’, sparked speculation that a future collaboration between them might be in the works following his upcoming biopic Quezon.
“This is really a production that we should support,” Rhian Ramos shared during her speech. “The experience of being on the set with Pocket Media Films, they really made us feel like family. I hope I can work with you again. I hope you will like Meg & Ryan. Please help us spread the word.”
Rhian portrays Meg Zamonte, a wealthy but emotionally burdened woman who numbs herself with wild nights and alcohol to escape the pain of her past. “She can relate to those feelings when you feel sad and you can’t open up to other people,” she explained. “This film says something about that and how you handle the things that you go through.”
JC Santos takes on the role of Ryan Cañete, a 35-year-old introvert and self-confessed virgin who lives quietly with his protective mother, played by Ces Quesada. The actor’s performance, along with Ces’, drew praise during the screening for their heartfelt scenes.
“Malaki ang naitulong ni JC sa mga ginagawa naming eksena,” Rhian admitted. “Parang ginaguide niya ako sa mga eksena namin.”
‘Meg & Ryan’ marks the first big-screen pairing of Rhian and JC and is director Cathy Camarillo’s third feature film after a successful run in television. Her previous films include ‘Chances Are, You and I’ (Kelvin Miranda and Kira Balinger) and ‘That Kind of Love’ (David Licauco and Barbie Forteza).
Screenwriter Gina Marissa Tagasa revealed that she wrote the film two years ago and named it in honor of her favorite Hollywood rom-com icon, Meg Ryan. “I’ve decided to create something light. Feel good, but very relatable,” she said. “It’s actually a heart-warming sweet escape… Rhian and JC beautifully brought to life the roles of Meg and Ryan.”
Also present at the premiere were Cedrick Juan, who plays Ryan’s cousin Ino, and other cast members including Ces Quesada, Noel Comia Jr., Poca Osinaga, Steven Bansil, and J-mee Katanyag. Industry personalities like directors Ted Boborol, Mike Sandejas, actress Max Collins, and actor Kelvin Miranda also graced the event, along with the TEAM (Tyrone Escalante Artists Management) family.
Given an R-13 rating by the MTRCB, the film features a reimagined version of the iconic OPM track ‘Torete’ by Better Days, used during a key “kilig” scene between the title characters.
‘Meg & Ryan’ will be released in cinemas nationwide on August 6. (with reports from Loyd Pino)
