Angel Locsin relearns the acting ropes

MANILA, Philippines - Angel Locsin has acted in over a dozen films to date, but she relearns the acting ropes in her latest movie, In the Name of Love, opposite Aga Muhlach.

Under the watchful eye of director Olivia Lamasan for the first time, Angel, who has been in showbiz for nearly a decade now, admits feeling like a beginner in an acting school.

“Honestly, after doing this movie, talaga pakiramdam ko nasa umpisa pa lang din ako. I feel like I'm in kindergarten. Parang ang daming bagay ko pang dapat matutunan. From (Direk Olive) alone, I’ve learned a lot, especially as to how film acting should be done. Hindi po ako sanay sa pelikula. How you use your eyes, your position, and how you maximize camera angles — I didn’t know those things before,” shares Angel, whose ABS-CBN teleserye Imortal just ended its extended run.

While director Olivia has made it clear that In the Name of Love is not a dance film, in the mold perhaps of Richard Gere’s Shall We Dance or Patrick Swayze’s Dirty Dancing, the film demanded several dance sequences, including some serious pole-dancing from Angel.

The curvy star says, “I’m not comfortable with dancing. It is one of those things that I really won’t do unless necessary.”

So when she was first informed what the role would require from her, she could not help but feel incredulous at first. “I couldn’t help but ask, are you really talking to me? Because this isn’t me. I told them point-blank, I don’t think I’m the right actress for this. Tapos, tinawanan po ako ni Inang. ‘No, anak, para sa ‘yo ‘to.”

For that brief pole-dancing scene now being shown in trailers ahead of the May 11 playdate, Angel had to devote three months to study it.

“It was tough and I got bruises,” she says of the hardcore preparation she subjected herself to before the actual scene was shot, which lasted for three days at that.

In this love drama, Angel plays Cedes Fernandez, a woman engaged to a young politico portrayed by Jake Cuenca, but whose life will radically change when she meets a down-and-out dance instructor played by Aga.

Given the theme of the film, Angel was asked what would she dare do, in the name of love?

The 26-year-old actress, who is being romantically linked to Philippine Azkal Phil Younghusband, says: “For me really, it is giving your whole self to him — heart and soul — and to marry him.”

She is quick to add, however, that although she feels she is in the right age to settle down, she has yet to find that one person whom she’d be willing to go all out for.

Angel’s next project will be a Maalaala Mo Kaya episode with Bea Alonzo, although she’ll be taking a much-needed rest by spending time with family and friends after juggling Imortal and this movie.

Aga, for his part, expresses relief that his co-star will finally take a vacation, adding that he is amazed at how Angel seems to never get tired despite her hectic schedule. The back-to-back tapings and shoots were something that he himself is not used to.

According to direk Olivia, “Angel is really a hardworking actress. I’m so proud of (the entire cast). We did this movie for more than a year. We went through a lot of difficulties. But at the end, I’m so fulfilled and so proud.”

Based on a script by Enrico Santos, In The Name of Love, the 18th offering of Star Cinema, also stars Dante Rivero, Carmi Martin, Ryan Eigenmann, Emilio Garcia, Dimples Romana, Bobby Andrews and more.