MANILA – John Lloyd Cruz admitted he and Sarah Geronimo had a hard time during their first shooting days of “It Takes a Man and a Woman.”
Cruz attributed this “adjustment phase” to the four-year wait before getting back to their characters as Miggy and Laida again.
“The first few days of filming was almost impossible. Kasi after four years tapos itong biglang ibang situation ang kaharap mo, hindi mo alam saan pupulitin ang [characters],” he said.
“Mahirap din magpakilig. Generally speaking, 'yung pagpapakilig, mahirap iyon,” he added.
Geronimo, for her part, said she had to personally find her core as Laida to give justice to the role viewers have already learned to love.
“Mahirap bumalik sa ilang taong nakalipas bago namin ginawa itong part 3. Medyo nalimutan na ang core ni Laida. Malaking factor iyong personal kong buhay sa pag-portray ko as Laida. Pero sa awa ng Diyos, naitawid namin ang bawat eksena,” she explained.
Both, however, agreed that they always separate their personal lives from their work.
“Sa ganung aspeto, lagi naman, kilala niyo naman ako, I always try to separate my personal sa trabaho. Pero kung ano 'yung amin personally, iyon talaga ang malaki ang tulong,” Cruz said.
Billed as the final installment of a trilogy, the upcoming romantic-comedy sees Miggy in a relationship with a character portrayed by actress-host Isabelle Daza.
Laida, meanwhile, is seen joining Miggy's company anew after some time working overseas. Here, the former couple try to co-exist amicably despite their history and current circumstances.
With the first two movies among the highest grossing local films of all time, "It Takes a Man and a Woman" is expected to replicate the success of "A Very Special Love" and "You Changed My Life," which were released in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina -- who was also behind the first two films in the trilogy -- the Star Cinema and Viva Films co-production will be released in theaters nationwide on March 30.
