Yassi Pressman is caught up in a “complicated” love story that requires sacrifice in the Philippine remake of the hit South Korean film More Than Blue.
In the romantic drama, Yassi is Cream, who is best friends and practically soulmates with K, played by JC Santos. Both orphans, they find a home in each other sans any romantic ties. However, when K discovers that his days are numbered due to terminal cancer, he keeps his condition a secret from Cream. And even though it breaks his heart, he pushes her to marry someone who can love and look after her when he’s gone.
Premiering on Nov. 19 via Vivamax, the Philippine adaptation is written by Mel Mendoza del Rosario and directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval.
“I read the script many times and every time, I cried. Every time, I feel what the character is feeling. I feel for the different characters as well. They share a love that is different, it’s very complicated and sometimes, if the love is complicated, it requires a lot of sacrifice, it’s more difficult,” Yassi said in a recent virtual interview.
“But at the end of the day, if you love a person, you love that person, and you will fight for that love. It doesn’t mean kelangan mo kunin. Pwede mo ibigay.”
The actress can relate to her character in that she’s always trying to be happy. “Dun talaga ako naka-relate sa kanya na kahit anong pain, ayaw niya nararamdaman, and that can be a curse and a blessing. It could be a curse because you don’t want to deal with what’s in front of you. And sometimes, by not dealing with it, yung tatahakin mong daan magiging iba sa kung ano mangyayari kapag kinon-front mo yung problem or kung ano yung alam mong nakakasakit sa ‘yo,” she explained.
Yassi recalled how in the past, she would be in painful situations where she wouldn’t process what she was feeling. Instead, she’d focus or imagine the “mabubuting moments, (like) OK na ‘to, masaya na ‘to, let’s keep it happy, walang problema, ‘wag na nating isipin. And that’s how Cream is,” she said.
She also related how she had a lot of realizations after filming More Than Blue, especially since it allowed her to access deep-seated emotions to flesh out her character. She didn’t go into specifics, but Yassi’s father passed away just before the pandemic in February 2020.
“I went through a lot pre-pandemic and during the pandemic din. Marami akong mga sinara na box, na di ko akalain mabubuksan ko ulit agad para sa isang project. I opened a lot of emotions here from my real life so it was nice because after everything, siguro mas na-dissect ko yung mga real-life pains and struggles. And that’s always good when you recognize them (because) you get to deal with them better.”
Since sacrifice is one of the themes in this film, Yassi was asked if she had made sacrifices in the name of love.
“Marami rin po akong nagawa for love. Sobra po nga minsan, naiisip ko, masyado yata,” she admitted. “Kasi that’s time eh, time that you lose for your family, time that you lose for other opportunities, and lahat naman tayo, gusto nating may mapuntahan yung mga sacrifices from our past loves, kasi yun po yung iniisip natin na pang-forever…”
She, however, wouldn’t regret any of these sacrifices. “Hindi mo rin siya maisip na sayang because it brought you to a certain point in your life that could change your mindset or may lesson ka natutunan. So, for me, tiis and sacrifices na yun ay worth the time.”
Meanwhile, More Than Blue marks Yassi’s acting return after her last TV show FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and the 2018 romantic-comedy film Ang Pambansang Third Wheel.
For future roles, the actress dreams of doing action like in Angelina Jolie’s Salt, or any project that lets her perform, ala Zendaya in the Hollywood film The Greatest Showman.
Overall, she appeared happy and content with the direction Viva is taking her career, which also includes hosting the TV5 game show Rolling In It Philippines.
She said in a separate presscon, “I’ve been with Viva for a very, very long time. I started with my management when I was 14 years old and I’m 26 now, and I’m still gonna be with them. It’s just been a great relationship because they’ve helped me grow into the actress or woman or performer that I am by giving me advice when I was way younger. And then now, I’m very happy with where I’m going and I’m excited to see where our relationship takes us.”
Yassi also shared a “gratitude ritual” that keeps her going in her career. “Every morning, I do like a five-minute meditation kung saan iniisip ko na ano yung mga bagay na thankful ako. I feel like it’s been really good to clear my mental headspace. We can’t avoid thinking about our problems and what’s happening in the world right now… but if we try to think about the things that we are grateful for, it always makes us more hopeful for better things in the future. I always think about where I came from, and I look around and am thankful for the opportunities for me to work hard and provide for my family.”
While showbiz is her “bread and butter,” Yassi has started exploring her entrepreneurial skills with the mobile dog grooming service Presidential Paws, which opened this month the country’s first off-leash dog park in BGC with Pet Me. She has an oral hygiene company named Wavee and is into property investments, including one in Lake Scugog in Ontario, Canada that’s listed on AirBnB. Her businesses are also reasons why she’s been traveling to the US these past few months.
Speaking of her US trips, The STAR had asked Yassi about her connection to NBA superstar Damian Lillard, who through Yassi made a donation to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) after it caught fire in June.
“Matagal na po kaming magkaibigan ni (Damian). I called him nung nalaman ko po ang nangyari sa PGH, dahil alam ko po isa siya sa mga taong tumutulong sa lahat po ng mga charities. In fact, when I called him for PGH, sinabi ko lang, ‘Hi Dame, there was a fire, I want to help them, you wanna help?’ And he said yes, no problem, anytime. Then and there, nagbigay po siya.”
She finally met the Portland Trail Blazers star player in Los Angeles last July. “Finally, nag-meet na po kami in person in L.A. and we had lunch together and spent time. It was really nice because sobrang bait niya po. He’s exactly who he is on TV, ganun na ganun. Napaka-humble, nakaupo lang sa hotel lobby, parang regular, normal and very, very down-to-earth (guy).
“Gusto niya po pumunta (sa Philippines). Dapat po pupunta sila after Japan (Tokyo Olympics) but they will have to fly together, kaya sabi ko, you should come back. Nakapunta na po daw siya dito… before. He loves the Philippines and he wants to come back.”