KAPAMILYA star Angel Aquino has said that her good friend Cherie Gil is her shining example when it comes to playing “kontrabida” roles.
“I’ve always love Cherie Gil. She was really my benchmark, my peg. It’s not that I wanted to copy her. Somehow, the nuisances were inspired by Cherie Gil,” said Aquino during an interview in “Tonight with Boy Abunda” aired over ABS-CBN.
Aquino, 43, plays Katrina who is a “kontrabida” in the teleserye “And I Love You So” starring Julia Barretto.
She recalled that her first “kontrabida” role ever was in the 2000 movie “Minsan Minahal Kita” starring Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez. In 2010, she became another “kontrabida” playing the role of Vera Cruz in the teleserye “Magkaribal” starring Bea Alonzo and Gretchen Barretto.
Aquino, who just attended the 66th Berlin Film Festival, said that she was starstruck with Hollywood stars Clive Owen and Meryl Streep.
“There was a party for the winners of the film festival and the jurors were there. And there was Clive Owen who was very tall, adonis-looking and you could hear his crisp British accent. Talagang lumapit lang kami ni Cherie. Then
Cherie started kissing him and she said ‘Clive we love you!’ I followed suit. I asked Clive will you kiss me too?
Then he said, ‘How can I say no to that?’” Aquino said.
Aquino and Gil were also in the cast of the eight-hour Filpino epic film “Ang Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis” which was directed by Lav Diaz.
The award-winning movie will finally be shown in the Philippines starting March 26. It won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize in the Berlin film fest.
Aquino also said that she was thrilled meeting Streep. “She was a goddess. She was so gracious and generous with her compliments. I wouldn’t expect that I would see her that close in my lifetime. She held my hands, pulled my face and kissed me.”
Aquino, who have two daughters, said that she was told that Streep had coffee and a blanket when she watched the Filipino movie.
Asked why she never grew old, Aquino said: “Hindi ko alam kasi napupuyat din naman ako. Maybe the spa. When you have access to something like that mas masaya. But I’m also starting to work out.”