For the first time in her career, Maymay Entrata takes on an action role she has long dreamed of, elevating her craft as she portrays Luna Javier in “Roja”---a sous chef who becomes an ally of Liam (Donny Pangilinan) and Olsen (Kyle Echarri) in their fight against criminals.
“Roja” also marks Maymay’s much-awaited comeback to television. “Ang tagal ko rin pong hindi nag-acting dahil gusto ko po munang mag-focus sa music, at sa dahilan din na mag-spend ng more time sa nanay ko,” she revealed in an interview with Push. Following the passing of her mother, Maymay found herself ready to return to primetime, also seeing it as a way to heal and move forward from grief.
It was at this point that “Roja” entered the picture. Maymay recalled the day the series was pitched to her, and upon learning that it would be an action project, she didn’t hesitate---she immediately said yes. Drawing from her long-standing love for the genre, Maymay shared that she has always been a fan of action films, a fact her fans know by heart.
On how she prepared for her comeback role, Maymay said, “Nag-workshop ako agad… para lang ma-tap ko ulit ‘yung mga natutunan ko dati [sa acting]… na-apply ko ‘yung mga natutunan ko.” Though she admitted feeling the changes after years away from acting, the Kapamilya star remained determined in learning and sharpening her craft for the series.
As seen in several Instagram posts she shared, Maymay underwent rigorous training to prepare for the series. “Kahit 3 days lang po yun, talagang binuhos ko—buwis-buhay. Pag matagal mo nang hinihintay, talagang binigay ko yung best ko para matutunan yung action,” she revealed.
When asked before if she had ever done action roles, Maymay admitted she hadn’t---but the desire had always been there. She recalled how, even as a child, she had experiences of training from her relatives. “Tinuruan ako nung kuya ko, ‘yung lolo ko, kung paano lang lumaban. Tapos lagi akong alert nung bata ako, lagi akong may tirador at alcohol [na dala-dala],” she added.
Maymay’s dedication shines through in “Roja,” where she fearlessly handles firearms, performs stunts, and goes head-to-head in battles against Uno’s (Joel Torre) team as Luna. She is definitely someone to watch out for as an action star.
Witness Maymay Entrata take action to the next level in “Roja,” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, ALLTV2, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWant.