Ces Drilon ventures into acting in a BL series

Broadcast journalist Ces Oreña Drilon readily laughed it off when asked if she was “Stress Drilon” this pandemic. Her name was apparently turned into an adjective by people who are fond of coining new words from names of popular people.

“Na stress Drilon ako talaga,” Ces smilingly admitted. “But nakakatuwa kasi ang mga ginagawa ko, panlaban sa stress Drilon.”

After she was retrenched last year from ABS-CBN, following the closure of the network, Ces pursued her other interests. “When you lose your job, you lose purpose and motivation,” she maintained. “Bakit ka pa gigising araw araw?

“The pandemic became a blessing in a way. It forced me to do other things. If people are looking for inspiration, it’s really knowing yourself, what you want to do and trying to make something out of it.”

Ces took courses on natural perfumery, soap-making, balm-making and scent-making. “In pivoting, I think I was successful in exploring other parts of me that I never would have, had the pandemic not happened,” she pointed out. “It forced me into the situation where I had to look for other means of earning an income.”

Smudge stick is one of the online products of Ces’ brand, Probinsyana. “I put in lots of elements like dried flowers, like freshly-picked everlasting from Baguio,” she said. “I’m pursuing creating things that are healing, nurturing from nature, to put it in a nutshell. Also in fulfilling yourself.”

Recently, Ces also ventured into acting and gave her nod to star in a BL (Boy’s Love) series, Love Team, where she plays mom to young actor Ali King. The new series directed by Jade Castro, is a follow-up to last year’s Boy’s Lockdown, with Alec Kevin and Ali King.

For Ces, now is a “time of experimentation,” since it’s still the pandemic. “I actually appeared in some movies before, but always as a journalist or as an interviewer,” she said. “So, this is really new for me. I asked myself, why not do something I haven’t done before? I’m portraying someone far from a journalist that I used to always portray when I did bit roles in movies.”

In Love Team, Ces plays someone from a showbiz family and a star in her heyday. She is more of a stage mother. “Although I wouldn’t do that to my son in real life,” she attested. “I wouldn’t put him in an embarrassing situation like what I did.”

Ces discloses she has no big expectations in her first acting salvo in a BL series. “It’s not like I’m going into an acting career. I just want to try new things. I did a workshop before working on the episodes, which was so helpful in shooting that teaser video. Maybe as a journalist, I’m also exposed to that kind of scenario.”

Darwin Mariano, founder and CEO of the online ticketing platform, Ticket2Me, is the executive producer of the BL series. He was the one who approached Ces through “a close friend of a close friend,” who broached the idea to her and set up the meeting with Darwin.

“Hindi ko na sila pinahirapan,” Ces allowed. “They were so convincing. The role fitted me perfectly. I was familiar with the BL series. During the pandemic, you kind of watch everything, right? They had me in mind. They thought perfect ako for the role. So when they explained it to me, it really interested me.

“In a way, when you’re presenting, there’s a bit of projection that you have to do. It’s not really acting. That helped also. The role is like I’m a well-known personality. So it’s not difficult to slip into, in a way.”

Her close friends readily commented after watching the teaser. “Huwag over acting,” Ces was told. “Takot na takot akong ma-pan ako. Maganda naman ang feedback and I’m so relieved. Maybe, some said I should put a little more gestures like pagtaas ng kilay, smile here and there. My close friends, who would not mince words, had nice things to say.”

Ces easily quashed away the idea that after her acting idyll, she will accept other assignments in a teleserye or even films. She can perhaps play mom to Bea Alonzo, as suggested by a veteran journalist. “Talaga ba?” she smilingly wondered “That’s crazy. I haven’t thought of it. This acting venture is just an experiment.”

Thankfully, Ces no longer has the same restrictions as before, when she was still employed at ABS-CBN. “We cannot appear, we cannot do this and that. We cannot do product endorsements. When this offer came, I thought why not? It looked like a lot of fun.

“Nakakabata ‘pag may bago kang ginagawa. May energy ka. May bago kang passion. I think that’s where it’s from. I’m trying so many new things I haven’t done before. I’m so energetic and excited.”

Ces still juggles her time now. “Minsan hinahanap din ng katawan mo na parang busy ka. Ang hirap naman na parang idle ka lang. That’s the hardest. I retired as a reporter in 2015. I was only doing the late-night newscast, Bandila. I was bored to death. You need to live an active life.

Not surprisingly, Ces is always busy now. “I feel so energetic, so inspired and full of ideas, 24 hours in a day that’s not enough. I also discovered a lot of things. I make mistakes. This is a whole new world for me and it’s very exciting. This is a new chapter in my life. Imagine, I’m approaching 60 and I feel younger than ever.”