Coleen Garcia compares role in 'Kaluskos' to real-life motherhood

MANILA, Philippines — Actress Coleen Garcia compared her role in the upcoming "Kaluskos," which will compete at the 2022 Cinemalaya Film Festival, to her experiences as a mother to two-year-old Amari.

In the film, Coleen portrays a mother in the middle of a custody battle over her estranged daughter when she mysteriously experiences a different version of her child that she connects better with.

Coleen considers the role very timely and that being an actual mother was very helpful in curating her character.

"I don't know if I would have played the role the same way kung hindi pa ako mom," Coleen said, adding that she brought Amari along to shoots and would go to him in between takes.

Coleen Garcia shares her experience as a new mother in real life portraying a mother in the upcoming Cinemalaya 2022 film “Kaluskos.” @PhilstarNews @PhilstarShowbiz pic.twitter.com/gqLYK1ZKWl

— Kristofer Purnell (@kjpurneII) July 6, 2022

Because she was on mom duty offscreen, repeating it in front of the camera was like second nature to her, "Dalang-dala ko 'yung pagiging mommy ko doon [sa shooting]."

She continued by saying she didn't have to learn about that particular aspect of her role or put in more effort because motherhood came off her naturally.

"Kitang-kita 'yung growth ko not just as an actor but as a person, a human being na nasa next stage ng buhay," Coleen ended.

Coleen married her former "It's Showtime" co-host Billy Crawford in 2018 after four years of dating, giving birth to Amari in September 2020 via water birth.

Her most recent film roles include "Adarna Gang" earlier this year and "Mia" in 2020, and prior to that were the 2018 films "Exes Baggage" and "Sin Island."

RELATED: LIST: Films competing at Cinemalaya Film Festival 2022