Jerrold Tarog says execs wanted a ‘new face’ for Darna

Director Jerrold Tarog. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Jerrold Tarog, the director of the anticipated movie Darna, bared Thursday that ABS-CBN executives wanted a “new face” to portray the iconic Filipina superhero.

“Glad it’s finally out. The execs wanted a new face for Darna & I was all for it,” Tarog wrote in a Twitter post.

https://twitter.com/JerroldTarog/status/1151680489377243136

On Wednesday, actress Jane de Leon was announced as the new Darna by ABS-CBN’s film production arm Star Cinema.

READ: Jane de Leon named as new Darna

Tarog said they opened the auditions for the role to everyone — from newbies to celebrities, from mestiza, chinita to morena.

“Thus, open auditions—newbies, celebs, chinita, mestiza, morena, etc basta. The short list was a good mix but ultimately it was about who could carry the role,” he said.

“@Imjanedeleon was a unanimous choice,” he added.

Star Cinema announced last May it would hold public auditions for the role after Liza Soberano withdrew from the project.

READ: Star Cinema opens auditions for the next ‘Darna’

Soberano exited from the movie because of a finger injury she sustained during the shoot of her drama series “Bagani.”

READ: Liza Soberano withdraws from ‘Darna’

Meanwhile, Tarog was tapped as the project’s new director after Erik Matti stepped down citing “creative differences” with Star Cinema. /jpv

READ: Jerrold Tarog is new director of ‘Darna’