With her fans counting down the days until her much awaited return to the big screen in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival romantic drama entry UnMarry, Angelica Panganiban shared the reason why she could not turn down the project despite her decision to put her showbiz career in the backburner for the past couple of years.
In the film, Angelica plays the role of a woman named Celine, who is undergoing the process of annulment of marriage from her husband, Stephen (played by Tom Rodriguez).
“Hindi naman pini-push nung movie ‘yung annulment. Na parang ‘pag napanuod mo o nabasa mo, gaganahan kang gawin ‘yun. Hindi siya ganun. Nagkukuwento lang siya, and ‘yung kuwento ng buhay ni Celine at ni Ivan, doon talaga siya napunta,“ she said.
“Noong nabasa ko ‘yung script, para siyang calling. Na parang kung sa akin ito ibinibigay, kailangan ko itong panindigan. Kailangan ko maging boses ng mga babae, ng kahit na sino na may pinagdadaanan, ng freedom nila. Kasi naniniwala ako na ang freedom, deserve nating lahat kapag hinihingi na talaga ng pagkatao mo,” she explained during the movie presscon.
READ: Angelica Panganiban on returning to acting after four years: ‘Ang sarap pa rin sa pakiramdam!’
During the event, Angelica also shared why preparing herself for the project was not as hard. Her familiarity with the production team as well as being reunited with her close friend and leading man Zanjoe Marudo were major factors.
“Of course, may preparation dahil kailangan mong kilalanin ‘yung character, but mapalad ako dahil halos ’yung bumubuo ng pelikula, halos nakatrabaho ko na silang lahat sa mga projects ko noon. So kahit papano naging confident ako na alam kong mas magiging madali ‘yung proseso ko dahil kilalang kilala na namin yung isa’t isa. Alam ko kung paano i-a-approach si direk Chris nung umpisa pa lang dun sa script: na baka puwedeng mas may ganito siguro, baka mas lagyan ng ganitong texture pa ‘yung character. Kasi of course noong binigay na sa akin ‘yung character, may inputs na rin ako. May mga gusto na rin ako mangyari na baka mas mag-wo-work. And of course, noong si Zanjoe ‘yung leading man. Pang-ilang project na namin ito ni Z, and ang tagal-tagal namin nagsama — from Banana Sundae, lahat na ata ng genre napagsamahan na namin. So parang sobrang kumportable na namin sa isa’t isa,” she said.
While the film‘s trailer highlights annulment of marriage, Angelica clarifies that UnMarry is not about promoting separation or dissolution of marriages. “Yung preparation for this movie, naging madali talaga siya and base kasi sa script, actually, hindi ko siya nakikita na pinaglalaban ‘yung annulment. Ang nakikita ko talaga, ang pinaglalaban niya is finding yourself, finding her voice, and loving herself.”
”’Yun ‘yung gusto kong mag-mirror sa mga tao. Kapag natutunan mo na mahalin ‘yung sarili mo, magkaka-boses ka,” she stressed.
Watch Angelica Panganiban in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry UnMarry, also starring Zanjoe Marudo, Tom Rodriguez, Eugene Domingo, Nico Antonio, and Solenn Heussaff. Directed by Jeffrey Jeturian. Produced by Quantum Films and CineKo Productions. UnMarry opens on December 25 in cinemas nationwide.