In director Brillante Mendoza’s LGBTQ-themed film Until She Remembers, actress Barbie Forteza got the chance to not only work with the internationally-awarded director for the first time, she also got do scenes with some of the country’s most respected veteran actresses, Charo Santos and Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo. The 28-year-old artist impressed her co-stars with Boots even admitting to the media that Barbie was one of her role models in the industry.
The Until She Remembers star could not help but feel both humbled and flattered by her co-star’s generous words during their movie presscon last month.
“Grabe, nagulat po ako, siyempre (laughs). Pero hindi ko po kasi akalain na ma-re-recognize ang trabaho ko ng ganun. Sobrang honored and proud na rin siyempre, hindi po ba? Dahil hindi naman natin ma-di-diktahan ang isang Ms. Boots na magsabi ng kung anu-ano lang. So ibig sabihin talagang totoo yun (laughs). So maraming, maraming salamat po talaga. Maraming salamat from the bottom of my heart. Grabe, sobrang napaka-unbelievable lahat ng nangyayari sa akin ngayon. Feeling ko, ito pa lang ay enough reward na para sa akin, itong buong taon na ito agad-agad (laughs). Napakagandang simula,” Barbie said.
READ: Barbie Forteza wants to be known as a serious actress: ‘I want to be here for the long run’
In the film, Barbie plays the role of Charo’s granddaughter who helps her grandma search for her long-lost love from high school and reunite the former lovers at a late stage in their lives.
“This will be forever significant for me dahil this film specifically reminded me that I should not take my grandparents for granted kase I mean, let’s face it, they will not be here for a long time na din naman. Napaalala sa akin ng pelikulang ito na puntahan ang mga lolo’t lola ko, aking Nanay Mercy dahil siyempre, nung bata pa ako, sila talagang tutok sa akin, yung naging magulang sila sa akin. And so, significant ito for me dahil dadating din naman ang araw na magiging lola din ako at siyempre ayaw ko rin makalimutan ako ng mga anak ko, ng lola ko, kaya palagi ko tong ipapapanood sa kanila ito. Tingnan niyo,” she shared.
READ: Barbie Forteza on working with Charo Santos for the first time: ‘Walang ka-ere ere!’
When asked what was the biggest lesson she has learned from working on her latest film, Barbie said it was that she now knows how important it is for children to feel unconditional love.
“I will answer from my character’s point of view, Angel who is a 16-year-old girl na.. Siguro ang takeaway ko doon sa character na yun ay dahil galing po siya sa isang pamilya na hindi siya pinapansin. So from there, nakulangan siya eh sa pagmamahal galing sa pamilya niya and so she went and searched for the true meaning of love kasi hindi niya yun nakukuha sa loob ng bahay niya and so nung nakita niya na may great love palang tinatawag, she hurriedly participated in that just to make it come true and make it come back.
"So para sa akin, siguro to our young generation, and to our parents also, sana huwag po tayong magkulang sa pagkalinga at pagbibigay ng pagmamahal sa ating mga anak at sa mga bata para hindi nila hanapin sa iba. Let’s start with ourselves to give love and let them experience love in its truest form,” she said.