MMFF 2015: 5 things to know about ‘Beauty and the Bestie’

MANILA, Philippines – Vice Ganda and director Wenn V Deramas have another Metro Manila Film Festival movie coming soon, and this time, Vice is starring opposite Coco Martin.

In Beauty and the Bestie, Vice plays Ericka, a gay photographer who goes undercover as a beauty queen – a favor for his former best friend, Emman (Coco Martin).

 

Aside from Vice and Coco, the movie also features James Reid and Nadine Lustre of the JaDine tandem, Ryan Bang, and child actors Marco Masa and Alonzo Muhlach.

Here are some things to know about Beauty and the Bestie before it’s released in theaters:

1. Stars Coco Martin and Vice Ganda are best friends in real life.

At a December 10 press conference for the movie, the two said that they were friends long before they became famous. Vice said that they met around 15 years ago. Back then, he was still doing gigs at comedy bars, while Coco was still working at a Max’s restaurant.

Vice performed at a Max’s Christmas party, and invited Coco to volunteer for one of his spiels – Coco refused, much to Vice’s annoyance. They later found out that Coco’s cousins were Vice’s friends, and they later became friends as well.

2. They may have been friends for a long time, but Beauty and the Bestie is their first movie together.

At the press conference, Vice said he had apprehensions about working with Coco. “Una nga, nung dati, nung magsisimula pa lang kami, sabi ko, ‘Parang may pressure kasi di ko alam kung paano yung work ethics ni Coco, hindi ko alam yung ganap niya eh, kasi alam ko may sarili siyang mundo, may sarili siyang style, natatakot ako.'” 

(At first, before, when we were just starting, I said, ‘It’s like there’s pressure because I don’t know Coco’s work ethics, I don’t know completely, because I know he has his own world, his own style, I’m scared.’)

Still, he said that the experience of working together turned out to be fun.

3. Coco and Vice said that they learned new things about each other while filming the movie.

In between scenes, Coco and Vice would talk to each other. Vice shared during the press conference that it was during one of these talks that he realized how wise Coco was.

According to Vice, he was telling Coco he felt sad in spite of his success. Coco told him he felt sad because he had too many sources of joy. (READ: Coco Martin’s life advice for ‘bestie’ Vice Ganda)

Coco advised him to instead find joy in his work: “Ang dami mong gustong kuhanan ng saya. Ako kasi, para hindi ako malungkot, itinanim ko na sa utak ko, ikinondisyon ko na yung sarili ko na yung itong pag-aartista ko, itong pagtratrabaho ko, ito ang magpapasaya sa akin.”

(There are so many things that you derive happiness from. Me, so that I don’t get sad, I planted in my mind, I conditioned myself to think that this, my acting, my work, is what will make me happy.)

4. This is also the first MMFF movie of the JaDine tandem.

Although James Reid guested in The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin in 2014, this is the first MMFF movie that the two will star in as a tandem.

5. This is Vice and Wenn’s 4th MMFF entry in a row.

Vice and Wenn’s last 3 MMFF movies were Sisterakas (2012), Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy (2013), and The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin (2014).

Will you be watching Beauty and the Bestie in theaters on December 25? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com