MANILA, Philippines — Erik Matti revealed he insisted on casting Megan Young in "OTJ: The Missing 8" because he was keen on sharing his observations on why politicians tend to marry beauty queens.
"Nagpasintabi ako sa simula pa lang at nakiusap ako sa kanya (Megan). She barely has a line in the film but I really wanted to cast a beauty queen like Megan Young. I wanted the impression that a beauty queen gives off... 'Di ba mga senador mahilig sa trophy wives? Usually binibingwit talaga nila mga beauty queen. Pinaplano, sikat na artista," he explained.
Megan, crowned 2013 Miss World, plays the wife of Wendell Ramos, who essays the role of a senator.
"Beside Wendell, I wanted somebody statusque. Unang tingin mo pa lang, 'Ay beauty queen.' Kasi totoong beauty queen si Megan. Hindi ko na kailangan pang damitan siya na (parang) beauty queen. Just casting alone, beauty queen na agad makikita mo," Matti added.
"OTJ: The Missing 8" takes off from the events of the 2013 film. Taking the form of a six-part series as an HBO Asia Original premiering on September 12, it looks into the gun-for-hire business operated by corrupt prison officials, with the series expounding further into the dynamics of Philippine elections, politics and the spread of fake news.
"OTJ: The Missing 8" was also an official entry at the 78th Venice International Film Festival.
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