Fashionable Ruffa goes ukay-ukay

MANILA, Philippines - Clothes make the man. Thus, men power dress for a boardroom meeting and women slip into that black dress for a night-out.

Ruffa Gutierrez’s character in Ukay-Ukay, episode of Regal Films’ Shake, Rattle & Roll XI, however, owns a piece of clothing which wrinkles her once smooth-as- silk life.

“I’ll be fighting an evil spirit,” says Ruffa of her latest movie. “That’s the reason why I’m in a harness. I have been Twitting about it that I’m always training in a harness. (People) think I have some (super) power. But what they don’t realize is that I’m having a fight scene with a demon who is throwing me around.”

For the Metro Manila Film Festival in December, we will see a simple Ruffa, a far cry from the high-maintenance Patricia of Desperadas, US-bred Abigail of My Monster Mom and scheming, fashion-forward Daniella of I Love Betty La Fea.

“She’s an interior designer,” shares Ruffa. “She loves vintage items. I’m a bit more tame here with less make-up. I wear glasses in most scenes.”

The artist in Ruffa does underacting and breaks down stereotypes in horror-suspense films, like screaming while doing long, winding chase scenes.

“I’m trying to come up with a character who fights a demon. She’s strong,” says Ruffa, who will somehow show that today’s women have their own mind and cannot be threatened easily by visible or invisible entities.

The latest Shake also marks Ruffa’s second appearance in the movie franchise. The first was in the mid-‘90s directed by then debuting Don Escudero. She was paired with Monsour del Rosario. Ruffa recalls they shot scenes in Daranak Falls, Tanay and she screamed a lot.

Looking back, the actress says the suspense and horror films have evolved since. Now, young creative directors bank on visuals, shoot in digital and use special effects to set an eerie, hair-raising atmosphere.

“It is timely because a lot of people go to ukay-ukay,” says Ruffa. “I’m warning them to be careful. There may come a time they get a dress haunted by a spirit.”

Unlike Snooky Serna’s blusang itim and the magic kamison, the dress brings crazy, unusual things in the life of Ruffa’s character. It also takes a peek at her character’s past and explains why the spirit stubbornly haunts and, worse, possesses her.

Ukay-Ukay is Ruffa’s reunion with her onscreen partner Zoren Legaspi. The team-up will bring back teenage memories and movies such as Island of Desire.

The way things are going in show business, it’s not every day we see former lovers like Ruffa and Zoren remaining good friends. Ruffa says it is also nice to see ex-couples who still look so good — without those extra pounds and “tell-tale” lines.

What scares Ruffa?

She says anything that will shock her more than the scary face. Horror films and cockroaches are also on her list.

With what she has gone through in life, Ruffa (mother of two) has emerged empowered and become an inspiration to young women. She fears going to hell but doesn’t worry about things like work because she knows God will provide.

Is she afraid of growing old alone and lonely?

The answer is still a no. After all, Ruffa has the Gutierrez family and daughters Lorin and Venice behind her.