MANILA, Philippines — Even if he has been working in front of the cameras for more than three years now, It’s Showtime’s Miss Q&A grand winner Juliana Parizcova Segovia honestly still gets the jitters every time he does a film role.
Just this pandemic, Juliana charted seven films to his credit, the latest being director Al Tantay’s Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo: Aussie Aussie (O Sige), that topbills veteran comedians Andrew E., Janno Gibbs and Dennis Padilla, slated to be shown on Dec. 31. The comedy film is the sequel to 2019’s Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo.
Earlier also this year, Juliana was in Joven Tan’s Ayuda Babes, Easy Ferrer’s Momshies! Ang Soul Mo’y Akin, GB Sampedro’s Kaka, Darryl Yap’s Gluta, Al Tantay’s Shoot, Shoot: Di Ko Siya Titigilan and Roman Perez Jr.’s House Tour.
Prior to winning Miss Q&A in 2018, Juliana, who is Tyrone James Ortega in real life, earlier joined many gay pageants while working as a call center agent. It was Miss Q&A that gave him nationwide recognition, fame, fortune and life-changing experience he will never forget.
Although his previous films allowed him to play gay characters naturally and without much effort, Juliana surprisingly agreed to essay the role of a real man in Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo: Aussie Aussie (O Sige). He even sports an undercut for the first time and did not think twice about cropping his mane just for his role.
“Mas nag-level up ang character ko dito as a man,” Juliana disclosed. “Sa Gluta, mas bumabali pa ang kamay ko when I played a man. Dito, masakit sa puso na kailangan ko pang magpa-undercut ng hair.
“Siyempre, kailangan kong gawin. Bukod sa masaya ang shoot, ang dami kong binaon sa pagta-trabaho ko dito. Kung sakali man na magkakaroon ako ng role ulit na ganito, alam ko na kung paano ko siya lalaruin,” he added.
Juliana did not feel any negative vibes working with the veteran comedians. “Day one pa lang, naramdaman ko na hindi lang kami magka-trabaho,” he asserted. “Magkaibigan kami. Hindi nila hinayaan na ma-left behind ako. Inalalayan nila ako every step of the way kung paano ko gagawing maganda ang character ko.
“Hindi na ako masyadong kinabahan. Kasi noong nag-start at meron kaming chikahan off-camera, naramdaman ko agad na magaan ka-trabaho ang mga boys at hindi ka nila papabayaan,” Juliane continued.
“While we were shooting the movie, pinaramdam nila sa akin na hindi ako baguhan kahit alam kong icons na sila. Pinaramdam nila sa akin na ‘Okay ka lang. Sama ka lang. Sakyan mo lang ang mga ginagawa naming.’”
Andrew, Janno and Dennis made the one-week, lock-in filming of Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo: Aussie Aussie (O Sige) a breeze for Juliana. He earlier worked with Andrew in Shoot, Shoot: Di Kita Titigilan, streamed middle of this year.
“Si Kuya Andrew, from Shoot, Shoot hanggang ngayon, mayroon siya laging words of wisdom na iniiwan sa akin.”
Juliana starred with Dennis in Ai-Ai de las Alas’ comedy flick, director Joven Tan’s And Ai, Thank You (2019). “Si Kuya Dennis, kapag nagkikita kami noon, kahit hindi pa kami nagkaka-work, alam niya ang sasabihin niya sa ‘yo na mabibitbit mo along the way.”
“Si Kuya Janno, kahit hindi pa kami nagkaka-work, hindi lang siya talagang professional. Tinuturo niya sa akin, kahit hindi niya sabihin, Ito ang tamang pag-uugali sa loob ng set. ‘Yun ang mga natutunan ko sa kanila na alam ko, sooner or later, bibitbitin ko sa mga susunod ko pang gagawin.”
The title of Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo was originally meant to include SangGay for its iteration to add Juliana’s character. For some reason, however, the title was changed to carry Aussie Aussie (O Sige), taking the additional line from Andrew’s rap song recorded 17 years ago.
Juliana cannot be thankful enough that filming Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo: Aussie Aussie (O Sige) turned out to be a wonderful experience for him. “Ako, since baguhan at nakasama ko ang mga icons sa comedy, ang sarap lang ng feeling na all of them were generous.
“’Pag meron akong nai-isip kung ano maganda i-punchline o sabihin, hindi nila ako hinahayaan na mag stay lang sa isang tabi. ‘O, diyan ka lang dahil hindi mo pa ‘to masyadong gamay at memoryado. Inaalalayan talaga nila ako along the way.”
Juliana and the rest of the stellar cast of cannot be any prouder that Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sangwapo: Aussie Aussie (O Sige) is the opening salvo for Vivamax for 2022.
“Deserve na deserve natin na may maiwan tayong masayang pelikula bago matapos ang taon, sa dami ng pinagdaanan natin,” Juliana stressed. “Maganda na may marka ngayon 2021 at masimulan ang 2022 ng maganda, para tuloy-tuloy ang saya sa buong taon.”
This Christmas, Juliana will spend a quiet one with his mom at home. “Dalawa lang naman talaga kami ng mama ko ever since,” he offered. “Kahit noong wala pang pandemic, dalawa lang kaming bumibisita sa mga kamag-anak. Mas delikado na ngayon for my mom dahil senior na siya. Since ang dami ng tao sa labas, sa bahay lang kami ng mama ko.”