Almost 13 years since they did their first Metro Manila Film Festival entry One More Try, Zanjoe Marudo said his and Angelica Panganiban’s working relationship has only gotten deeper. The two stars are set to headline the upcoming MMFF drama entry UnMarry where they play a couple in the process of getting an annulment. Zanjoe talked to the press during the pictorial shoot of the film last November 15 in Mandaluyong City.
“First movie namin, if I remember right, it was One More Try. MMFF din yun with Dingdong (Dantes) and Angel (Locsin). Medyo kumportable na ako working with Angelica nung gumawa kami ng movie kasi matagal na rin kaming magkasama dun sa Banana Split, so ang dami na naming pinagdaanan pagdating sa trabaho. Pero ngayon mas iba kasi comeback movie niya and ngayon lang kami magkakatrabaho after Playhouse which was before pandemic nangyari. Exciting kasi yung team halos parehas, si direk Jeff (Jeturian) tapos yung ibang staff nakasama na rin namin before,” Zanjoe shared.
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Working with Angelica through the past two decades has put Zanjoe in the position to share how his UnMarry co-star has evolved through the years, especially after she gave birth to her first child Amila in 2022 and getting married the succeeding year to her non-showbiz husband Gregg Homan.
“Siguro yung difference ngayon, mas naiintindihan na talaga namin kung ano yung mga emotions bilang isang magulang, compared nung gumawa kami before ng project na mga parents din kami dun pero hindi pa talaga kami totoong parents nung time na yun. So ngayon mas mabilis namin nagagawa yung mga scenes ng mas malinaw. Mas malinaw yung emosyon na napapakita kasi na-experience na namin eh,” he explained.
The UnMarry star also shared why he and Angelica had never been romantically linked to each other throughout their years working together in the same industry.
“Nung time na gumagawa kami ng Playhouse, dun talaga kami mas naging super close. Close na kami talaga. Siguro gusto naman talaga namin yung isa’t isa bilang tao. Kumportable na kami sa isa’t isa. And wala naman kaming kumbaga, inhibitions pagdating sa pag-arte, pagdating sa off-cam, on-cam, kasi gusto namin kasama ang isa’t isa eh. Barkada talaga kami.
“Hanggang sa nagkaroon siya ng pamilya, nagkaroon ako ng pamilya. Hindi kami nawalan ng contact. Lagi siyang nandiyan naka-suport kay Ria pag may kailangan si Ria kasi mas nauna siyang naging mommy. And then ako rin, minsan mini-message ko siya, mini-message niya ako ng mga advice kung paano na i-handle yung ganitong age. At saka nung time na yun nung Playhouse, meron din kaming kanya-kanyang relationship, so parang hindi siya pumasok sa… at ito yung masarap na friendship, walang katapusan.
“Alam mong aabot kami hanggang pagtanda namin. Andiyan kami para sa isa’t isa. At mahirap makahanap ng ganung tao. Mahirap makahanap ng ganung kaibigan. Kaya grateful and thankful ako na na-meet ko si Angelica at hanggang ngayon magkasama kami sa 20 years ko sa industriya,” he admitted.
READ: Zanjoe Marudo reflects on transformations he experienced since becoming a father
Even when not in front of the camera, Zanjoe revealed that Angelica is genuinely the same person because of her candid personality.
“Sobrang professional ng tao na ‘to eh. Kaya ang sarap niyang katrabaho kasi nga once na nag-yes na siya, yung commitment niya talaga dun, 100% ibibigay niya hanggang matapos. Kung meron man akong alam na hindi alam ng tao, parang wala. Parang lahat naman si Angge parang open book. Parang lahat alam ng tao sa kanya, di ba? Pag hindi siya nagtatrabaho, may vlog siya. May mga content sila ng anak niya na si Amila at ni Gregg. Yun siguro yung hindi nila alam, kung gaano siya ka-professional. Na hindi siya na-le-late, hindi siya nagkakamali sa mga scenes, alam niya yung character niya, alam niya lahat,” he added.