MANILA, Philippines — Barbie Forteza and Alden Richards confessed that they had a hard time letting go of their characters after the cameras stopped rolling while filming for their upcoming historical fiction drama "Pulang Araw."
Barbie and Alden play siblings Adelina and Eduardo who lived during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II.
With the series set in a tumultuous time in the Philippines and a war ravaging the whole archipelago, torture scenes and deaths, as written in history books, are expected to be seen in the upcoming drama.
Alden's character, Eduardo, becomes a guerilla who fights against the invading forces. Barbie's Adelina, meanwhile, is a Bodabil artist who performs on stage to entertain the public amid a raging war.
Bodabil is the indigenized version of the French performing art Vaudeville, which grew in popularity in France during the latter part of the 19th century. Bodabil actors engage the public with magic acts, comedy and drama all while dancing and singing.
These are the context that made actors Alden and Barbie so immersed in their characters, aided by real locations and realistic set designs.
Alden disclosed that as actors, they go through a process before filming a scene, but with "Pulang Araw," he found himself finding it hard to separate his real-life versus make-believe life.
"For someone reason po kasi, when it comes to the torture scenes na ginawa namin ni Mikoy (Morales), and sa part nina Sanya, which is sa side ng comfort women, kami kasi tinorture sa concetration camp sa Fort Santiago," Alden began.
Sanya plays Teresita, a girl from an affluent family who aspires to be a Bodabil artist.
Later in the story as seen in the show's primer, Teresita will face a traumatic change in her life as she falls victim to the sinful desires of the invading troops. She meets the same fate as the characters of Rochelle Pangilinan and Ashley Ortega, the latter a nun, who are turned into comfort women.
"Meron kasing reality aspect 'yung 'Pulang Araw' e. Nangyari talaga e. Ang mahirap sa akin during that time is paano kumalas doon sa trauma. Usually kasi on and off ako e. Hindi ako nagdadala ng character after a certain taping day or shooting day, but for some reason, itong 'Pulang Araw,' paulit-ulit nagtatanong 'yung isip ko.
"Dinanas ito ng mga kapwa nating Pilipino. It's very emotional, it's very disturbing and even kahit inaarte lang namin siya, nararamdaman namin 'yung trauma kasi 'yung set-up, parang nasa loob kami ng parang dungeon, madilim, mausok. Tapos pinapahirapan kami ng mga Hapones," the actor said.
In the primer, torture scenes featuring Alden's characters, including his fellow Filipinos played by Mikoy Morales and Aidan Veneracion, were seen while they were being imprisoned in Fort Santiago. Historically, Fort Santiago was used as an internment camp for prisoners of war during World War II.
"It was something that I never knew I would experience while doing 'Pulang Araw' kasi, at one point, meron at meron tayong mga kababayan, our lolos and lolas or older na dumaan du'n," he said, adding that there were times he saw himself just staring blankly into space while he was inside his car.
Immersed with the role
Sanya also shared a similar experience as Teresita.
"Na-immerse ako sa situation na parang to the point na isa ako sa mga biktima nu'ng war. Ganon 'yung pakiramdam niya na mahalaga para sa ating mga henerasyon ngayon at sa mga susunod pa, na 'yung hirap nila, lalo na sa story ng comfort woman din, lahat ng pagsasakripisyo nila, mga dinanas nila nung World War II ay hindi talaga biro.
"Mahalagang malaman natin at para magkaroon din tayo ng... to give respect and to appreciate and to value kung ano 'yung freedom na tinatamasa natin ngayon," she said.
Barbie, meanwhile, managed to crack a joke while relating a similar experience.
"Grabe ang sakit sa puso... Nanlata talaga ako. 'Yung height ng emotion, 'yung intensity niya, tapos bigla kang kakalas, right after the scene. Kailangan mong kumalas kasi lunch break na. (laughs) Kakain ka na e. Kailangan mo agad i-switch off 'yung emotions.
"'Yun 'yung hindi ko pinakakalimutang experience dito na ngayon ko lang din naranasan sa show. 'Yung bigat, 'yung nadadala mo siya pagkatapos. So kailangan mo talaga a few minutes to really shake it off e," Barbie said.
Alden said this experience, even though emotionally and physically draining for actors like them, is important for him. As he has been saying in interviews, "Pulang Araw" is a legacy project.
"I consider this project as one of my most important projects of this year because of the legacy that we will be telling, the untold legacy of the Filipinos during World War II.
"This is a way of honoring them. This show, 'Pulang Araw,' is a way of honoring those people who have survived and fought for our freedom," Alden ended. — Video by Kathleen A. Llemit, editing by Anjilica Andaya
RELATED: 'Most important series of 2024': Alden Richards says 'Pulang Araw' planned 10 years ago