Like winning the lottery: Cindy Miranda on working with John Arcilla

Cindy Miranda (left) and John Arcilla

“I have never won the lottery, but this is how it must feel like.”

That was Cindy Miranda’s reaction upon finding out that she would be working with the internationally acclaimed actor John Arcilla in the sexy, suspense-thriller movie “Reroute.” “I didn’t think twice. Yes, of course, it’s John Arcilla. I will be part of the film!” she said in a recent virtual conference.

The beauty queen-turned-actress is a fan of John, so she couldn’t help but feel starstruck when she finally met him in person on the set. “I have seen him on ‘Ang Probinsyano’ and ‘Heneral Luna,’ which I saw in the cinema … On our first day of shooting, I kept on whispering to a production staff if I could take a photo with him,” she recalled.

It was interesting observing John prepare for a scene, she related, because she realized that they have pretty similar personalities. “He would isolate himself before his scenes. I thought we were both serious on the set. I don’t chat with others, because I don’t want to get distracted once I’m in the zone. Sir John is always prepared and wants to know how things will happen,” she said of this year’s Venice Film Festival best actor.

Most intense project

Directed by Lawrence Fajardo and now streaming on Vivamax, “Reroute” follows the exploits and mishaps of a married couple Trina (Cindy) and Dan (Sid Lucero), whose relationship is marred by problems. They travel down south to visit Dan’s dying father. Much to their frustration, they encounter a roadblock, forcing them to find another route.

They get lost. Their car breaks down. That’s when they chance upon a barefooted man named Gemo (John), who then invites the couple to his home. And just when the couple are starting to get comfortable, Gemo starts bombarding them with intrusive questions. Trina and Dan start sensing that something’s amiss.

For Cindy, “Reroute” is her most intense acting project yet. It’s probably also the best performance she has given, she surmised. And she has her formidable costars to thank for that.

“At first I thought, ‘Will I be able to keep up with them?’ I was so intimidated and shy, because I was working with people whom I used to just watch on television … But they gave me valuable advice. They remind me to always focus on the scenes’ intentions, which comes handy when we, his costars, end up improvising some of the lines,” she said.

“I needed to be focused and relaxed. I told myself that, if I understand the scene well, I will be able to react when they start veering away a little bit from the script,” added the 31-year-old celebrity, who finished in the Top 5 of the 2013 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

Fluid

As scared and nervous as she was, Cindy never let her costars see that. “I didn’t want to show that I was anxious. I want them to be comfortable and not make them worry about me or whether I can do the scenes or not,” Cindy said. “But I just told myself, ‘I’m already here. I can do it.’ I didn’t let anyone down.”

But thanks to the supportive cast and creative team, Cindy managed to pull off her role. “I always try to give my best. But here I was compelled to do better and take the craft more seriously. I was able to access the right emotions and I was fluid with it—and I think it’s because my coactors are so good,” she said.

Working with the likes of John and Sid inspired Cindy to be just “like them” one day. “I feel like I ended up loving my job even more, because I saw just how passionate they were. I know I still have a lot to improve, but I’m looking forward to that,” Cindy said.

And while some people continue to doubt her simply because of the sexy roles she has done, she said she will just keep working hard to reach her dreams. “I don’t mind what other people have to say—hindi naman sila ang tutupad sa pangarap ko. I don’t want to have any regrets, so I will keep on trying, despite the possibility of failing,” Cindy said. “Not trying means you already failed.”

Cindy isn’t in a romantic relationship at the moment. But should that happen, she said it’s important her partner knows what her job entails. “I don’t think a boyfriend will necessarily ruin a dream. It’s about balance. You just have to find someone who’s supportive and understands the nature of my job as an actress,” she said. INQ