‘Crazier’ character to ‘reintroduce’ Rufa Mae to millennials

Rufa Mae Quinto stars in “Bagyong Bheverlynn”

“I want to reintroduce Rufa Mae Quinto to the new generation,” said Charliebebs “Bebs” Gohetia, director of “Bagyong Bheverlynn,” which features the comedienne in the lead.

Rufa Mae is widely known for her wacky characters Booba and Super B in the 1990s.

“These days, she’s merely the subject of memes and viral videos. It’s about time for her to be reintroduced to the millennials. Hopefully, they will remember her as somebody else, like Bheverlynn,” the director told the Inquirer.

Unlike Booba, Bebs said Bheverlynn was “brainier.” “While their humor is almost the same, Bheverlynn is crazier,” he explained. “She’s more ‘meta,’ but hopefully, that also makes her more universal because, in the film, we take a swipe at the hugot and coño cultures. The film also has a lot of pop-culture references.”

The story is inspired by a writer-friend’s breakup. Bebs was given the story, which he tried to make his own “by making it crazier. I have attempted to deconstruct the comedy genre to give the story a different spin. I broke the fourth wall by making the characters talk to the camera.”

Bebs added that while Rufa Mae “was just her usual self during the shoot,” her leading man, EA Guzman, was a gem of an actor. “He’s amazing! He didn’t require a lot of directing because he has the ability to deviate from the usual. He’s completely different here from the characters he portrayed in ‘Deadma Walking’ and ‘Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me.’ More than that, he matched Rufa Mae’s comic timing,” Bebs said.

EA said he liked Bebs as a director “because he isn’t strict. He’s funny but is actually shy. Direk Bebs, Peachy (Rufa Mae’s nickname) and I work well together. We would sometimes forget that the camera is rolling. He’s very detailed and meticulous with his shots, but when he gets what he wants, he no longer requires another take.”

The actor added: “He gave me the freedom to develop my character. In turn, I gave him what he wanted. My character is rich and conceited. My favorite scene here is the one where I’m seen walking with my minions. I am on a hover board, while they’re on scooters. It’s so cool!”

This is EA’s first entry in the annual Cinema One Originals Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 12 to 21. “I’m thankful that, for this year, the films I’ve appeared in have all tried to bravely talk about social issues,” he pointed out.