Claudine Barretto, Mark Anthony Fernandez eyeing international awards for reunion movie after 26 years

MANILA, Philippines — After the pandemic pushed back their plan for a reunion movie in 2018, ex-lovers Claudine Barretto and Mark Anthony Fernandez are finally on track in making their first film in 26 years, “Deception,” under Viva Films and Borracho Entertainment.

The reunion film, award-winning director Joel Lamangan said in a virtual press conference last Monday, will not be your typical rom-com (romantic comedy) and will be very different from Claudine and Mark Anthony’s last movies, “Pare Ko” and “Mangarap Ka,” some 26 years ago.

“Alam ko na mahuhusay silang artista kaya umisip kami ng mga kakaibang istorya na maaring sila ay ipakita ang kanilang acting ability. Hindi ito karaniwang ginagawa sa pelikulang Pilipino na kakaiba ang istory at malaki ang hinihingi sa mga artista,” Lamangan assured.

“Marami na kaming nabasang istorya pero ito ang aming napili sa pagkat ito ang pinakabagay sa kanilang dalawa at pinaka-challenging sa kanilang dalawa.”

Mark Anthony said that they are setting standards so high for their drama-mystery movie that they would make sure it would be worthy of global recognition.

Claudine said that while she is usually very picky when it comes to movie scripts and accepting projects, she said “yes” to the reunion flick with Mark right away because its story is different (“not a typical Pinoy movie”), directed by Lamangan, and as support to Borracho Entertainment big honcho Atty. Ferdie Topacio.

“I would never say no to a Joel Lamangan film,” enthused Claudine, who would play Rose, a former actress convicted for the supposed murder of her husband, a stuntman Jericho, to be played by Mark in the film. After Rose is released from prison, she tries to reconnect with her lost son, discovers a man named Ethan who looks exactly like Jericho, and starts to discover things about her husband that she never knew before.

“Mark and I, we haven’t seen each other, but we’ve been talking on the phone. Meron kaming napag-usapan about the past, about this movie, at kung anong gugustuhin naming mangyari sa pelikulang ‘to,” Claudine shared.

According to her, now that they are on their 40’s is the perfect time for her to do this movie with Mark.

“The good thing about Mark is wala kaming problema even we didn’t have closure sa relationship namin before. He has always been the same Mark na minahal nating lahat kasi alam naman nating lahat na napakabuting tao ni Mark. So, hindi naman talaga mahirap mahalin si Mark. Bilang kaibigan, mahal na mahal ko ‘yan.”

Mark, meanwhile, said he has been waiting for a reunion project with Claudine for a long time and was just waiting for the right script. He prepares for the role by recalibrating his acting chops.

Claudine confessed that she felt like “nangalawang” when it comes to acting since her last movie was “Etiquette for Mistresses” in 2015.

“Meron. Kaming mga artista, we’re one of the most insecure human beings. Because you always have to go with the flow. You always have to go with the times… Every time na merong ‘MMK,’ meron na ‘kong nerbyos na ‘di ko na-feel dati ‘pag sanay na sanay ka. But then, pinapasok ko sa utak ko na ilang taon ka nag-teleserye, since you were 15, ganyan, so kung kakalawangin man, kailangan lang ng workout. So gan’un ‘yung nangyari.”