Looks like it is now becoming a trend to have actors from ABS-CBN and GMA 7 work in an acting project as onscreen partners. First, there’s Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards for Hello, Love, Goodbye. Second, a news broke that Maine Mendoza and Carlo Aquino will also be pairing up in a movie.
By the last quarter of the year, Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez are next to appear as onscreen tandem in If We Don’t Make It, T-Rex Entertainment’s new movie under the direction of Prime Cruz with story written by Jen Chuaunsu.
Prime explained his reason for choosing Janine and Paulo to portray lead characters. “I’ve seen their (respective) movies in the past so when Jen (his girlfriend) was creating a sketch for a film, I thought of Paulo and Janine in a situation where they have so many things left unsaid, those what ifs, mga unfinished business. What I see in them as actors are their strength in internal conflict na wala pang sinasabi pero umaarte na.”
Janine is portraying the character of music producer AM who has a go-getter attitude which certainly is the type of role that easily attracts the Kapuso actress. According to Janine, after getting the offer, she read the script and instantly liked the character.
“What I like about the role is she’s not the typical good girl and she’s very relatable. Ako naka-relate ako dun sa belief n’ya that if you focus on your goal, you’ll achieve it. I am also an optimistic person who believes at working hard for your dreams. I also believe that if you visualize something, mapupunta sa ‘yo. Well, except ‘pag sa tao (laughs),” she said.
Paulo, on the other hand, said his character Harold is a good break from the serious roles he had played in the past. The former Kapuso and now Kapamilya actor is best remembered for his acting performance as Gregorio del Pilar in the historical epic film Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral. He also won the Gawad Urian for Best Actor for the film Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa. For Janine, she was impressed with Paulo in I’m Drunk I Love You.
“One reason I accepted the project is because I can easily relate to the story. My character Harold’s situation with his friend caught my interest,” he shared. “At one point in my life, I had a best friend back in school, and after graduation, we sort of lost our connection. We had a deep friendship but when situation called for us to go our separate ways, nawala na. And the situation of characters here (movie) are quite real, ganun naman talaga pag lagi mong kasama di maiiwasan na ma-in love ka. Masarap balikan yang mga ganyang nakaraan.”
Jen said the movie is about the story of two people who are more than friends but less than lovers. “Matagal silang hindi nagkita and then when they meet again, those unresolved issues and the things left unsaid are beginning to surface again. They are two people who need to talk about lots of issues.”
Janine admitted that she is not the type who is expressive of her feelings. “I am not confrontational so when someone doesn’t express any feelings for me, it would be hard for me to open up and make the first move.”
Paulo is the opposite. He said he doesn’t have a hard time expressing himself and his feelings but “I am also cautious not to be offensive when dealing with relationships. I had relationships in the past and most of them ended well.”
Probably by now, cameras are starting to roll for the shooting of the movie which, Prime stressed, is not a rom-com but a romantic drama.