The PILAR PILAPIL School of Acting

CEBU, Philippines - Forget theory. Acting is an instinctive, inner thing developed through years of hard work and keeping it real.

Or so says beauty queen-turned-thespian Pilar Pilapil, who’s spending the first few days of summer imparting her know-how to aspiring Cebuano actors ages 14 and above.

Finally putting into action her vision of molding talents and taking them to greater heights, the Pilar Pilapil Productions and Performing Arts Academy (PIPPAA) recently launched “Breakthrough: Create a Better You,” a personality development and acting workshop with Pilar, to be held April 9 to 11 at The Henry Hotel located at One Paseo, Maria Luisa Road, Banilad, Cebu City.

“I think Cebuanos need it – they need some inspiration, they need to be able to hone and develop themselves as actors,” she said.

At a fee of P6,000, the first morning, she said, will tackle personality development and character-building; the rest of the time will cover such topics as facial expressions, how to work within one’s emotional range, how to go beyond one’s motional range, how to be aware of the camera, body language, etc.

After what she described as “grueling” sessions, Pilar said the last day will require participants to perform on stage.

At least 30 students have enrolled so far, according to the actress.

Asked what enrollees can specifically learn from her that’s absent from acting schools/workshops in the country, she said her sessions differ in that she doesn’t subscribe to any textbook method.

“You can call this the Pilar Pilapil School of Acting. Because Pilar Pilapil doesn’t go by method. I don’t go by theory, by the Stanislavski system and all that…I have read of all that,” she pointed out.

“I think the best acting is real and natural, which is based on your instincts and intellect. When you’re analyzing a role, then you need intellect and common sense. But when you’re already acting it out, you forget about yourself. You are playing another role. So you have to be THE role…the person that you are playing. Not according to the system of somebody else, or according to how Marlon Brando talks and all that. Of course, Marlon Brando was my favorite actor. But not everyone has to act like him. You have to have some sort of originality.”

Coming off natural, Pilar continued, is most difficult to achieve. And it doesn’t help that our soap operas are replete with styles that scream “I am acting!”

“If you watch television, you notice most of them are acting. And they’re all acting with their faces. So that’s not the kind of acting we’re going to teach. If you’re going to talk about theory and it’s all coming from here,”  said Pilar as she pointed a finger to her temple, “that’s not what acting is all about, really. Acting is an inner thing. It is something you develop within you to be able to be real to the role.”

Aside from the basics, essential to this workshop are the pointers on social values, legacy and appreciation of the arts, and professionalism, PIPPAA’s brochure says.

For aspirants whose main motivations are fame and wealth, Pilar said they better reconsider their paths, as the road won’t be as glamorous as it looks.

She quipped, “A lot of young people nowadays, they want things easy. A lot of them want to be famous, and they think it’s an easy job. But I’m telling you, if you’re really serious with this business, it’s not easy. I go to tapings at 5 or 6 in the morning, and I come home the following day at about the same time.”

“I became an actress because I was Miss Philippines and I used to act at Imaculada Concepcion. And then I became famous. Then that’s when I decided that I can be good at this. There has to be self-respect. If you want people to respect you, you gotta give them what is due them. Even as  a young girl, I never thought that I can just give whatever I want to. I wanted to give what can satisfy. If you love what you’re doing and you try to do good at it, the rest will follow.”

Would she be a “terror” mentor, or a gentle one? Pilar says she can’t judge for herself what kind of teacher she’ll be, only that she has an idea what a good teacher should be.

“A good teacher will never think she knows everything. She will always be open to suggestions and to the capabilities of her students. She will always give the right information, and impart whatever is best for her students. I am also an evangelist, so I have spoken in different places for more than 15 years now, so I’m quite used to the stage and talking to people.”

Take it from a veteran

Missionary work, her Pilar Pilapil Foundation [which primarily aids battered and abused women], a resort in Malapascua Island named Pilar’s Residence, among others, have kept her occupied in Cebu. She flies to Manila every now and then when a teleserye or film role of her liking comes up. “My hands are always full. There’s never a boring moment,” said Pilar, who spent her childhood in Lilo-an, Cebu.

Apart from an upcoming movie, viewers will next see her playing a matriarch in the upcoming “Pangayo Sa’Yo” remake starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.

Pilar lamented on the dearth of good roles for senior talents like her, adding she envies Hollywood female icons such as Meryl Streep for nabbing memorable characters after the other – despite her age.

‘I just want good roles. And these don’t come easy. Meryl Streep’s roles – wow! Those are what I like to portray! But we don’t get that here. Here, if you’re of a certain age, they give you a certain role. In Hollywood, they value your talent and investment as an actor no matter what age you are.”

Are there specific roles she still dreams of portraying? “I want to play myself. We already have titles in mind, but we’re keeping it a secret for now. It’s going to be an expensive movie so it can’t be done right away,” divulged Pilar, who had already shared a big chunk of her life in a 2006 memoir she titled “The Woman Without a Face.”

Pilar also expressed her thoughts on what she dislikes the most in the current showbiz system where TV networks’ talent arms dominate. “It is when the talents are not being recognized according to what they can really offer. You know, I always want to recognize talent. I just don’t like the palakasan system, because that’s not fair to talents. I think genuine artists should be given the importance that’s due them.”

Egged on to cite names of talents she thinks deserve recognition but haven’t been getting any, Pilar instead said, “There are so many directors that are overrated, and so many directors that are underrated. So many talents are also overrated because of all the promotion. During my time, there was not so much palakasan. It has gotten worse, actually. Now, it’s ‘I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine’ – even if you don’t have anything to scratch.”

Always a beauty queen

What’s a Pilar interview without talk turning to her time as a beauty queen or soliciting advice for aspiring beauty queens?

The 1967 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe said she was a naïve kid when she was fielded to Miss Universe, and hoped she was more mature and equipped when she represented the country in the world’s most prestigious beauty tilt.

“I became Miss Philippines when I was 16. Looking back, I don’t recommend for anyone to enter a beauty contest at such a young age. I believe you really have to be ready for it psychologically and all other aspects. I didn’t know anything at 16. I was in Miami, Florida, and all of a sudden, I was thrown into this thing. You have to make sure you’re confident enough to talk and face the public, and answer questions correctly.”

On the current norm among women, not exclusive among beauty pageant participants, to go under the knife, Pilar’s stance is firm: “I don’t really agree with enhancements. If you have nice features and you’re beautiful, you don’t have to worry about anything. You don’t have start getting insecure and go through all this plastic surgery. I know of so many people who started fixing themselves at such a young age, and now they can’t even smile correctly. They look like statues! Beauty must be natural. That’s the real beauty.”

Currently married to a Christian pastor, Pilar  mused that she has a long list of achievements she’s proud of, but discovering her faith and being able to share this with others tops her list. “I have not only represented the country in the Miss Universe contest, I am also proudest of my profession as an actress, and also becoming a servant of God as an evangelist. My greatest successes are to have Christ in my life and being saved to serve.”

When people hear her name, Pilar hopes the public will generally associate it with this one word: “Excellence,” she said. “Excellence, not just in acting, but everything, including how I relate to people.”

For more information on “Breakthrough: Create a Better You,” contact 0917-317-7733 or email [email protected].