Maricel Laxa in “The Iron Heart”. Image from Instagram / @mommymaricel
Veteran actress Maricel Laxa has been known to be a great drama actress, but she said she found dabbling in action scenes a tad easier than making people cry in dramatic outings.
“Mas madali siya kasi gagawin mo lang naman ‘yung mga choreography niya. For me, it’s like a workout. Mas mahirap ‘yung drama kasi buong emosyon mo ay ibibigay mo. I find it so much less work than drama kasi ‘yung drama it is really draining you physically, emotionally, mentally,” said Laxa in an interview during the entertainment media’s visit to “The Iron Heart” set in Cebu City.
(It’s easier because all you need to do is choreography. Drama is harder because you have to give it your full emotion. I find it less work than drama because drama is really draining you physically, emotionally, mentally.)
Doing action scenes is only physically taxing, much like a physical workout, so she does not feel that it is taking too much from herself as a whole. The award-winning dramatic actress also has to thank her genes for being physically fit to do action scenes.
“Also because I work out. Maybe, if you’re not fit, it will drain you. But for me, someone who’s really been into a lot of sports, hindi siya mahirap for me. And remember, nasa dugo ko ‘yun. Anak ako ni Tony Ferrer,” she said.
(It’s not hard for me to do, maybe because it’s in my blood. I’m the daughter of Tony Ferrer.)
Ferrer is dubbed the Filipino version of James Bond.
Laxa also credits her action director Lester Pimentel Ong for making action scenes easier.
Maricel Laxa with Richard Gutierrez in The Iron Heart. Image from Instagram / @mommymaricel
“Magaling ang aming fight director. Basically, we just follow a choreography and it’s like muscle memory. Kapag nandoon ka na sa eksena ay mahuhuli mo na rin. Pero siyempre may adjustment noong umpisa,” she said.
(We have a good fight director… If you’re there in the scene, you will catch up. But of course, there’s adjustment at first)
Shooting in Cebu reminded Laxa of her Ironman marathon.
“I remember vividly, pagdating ko pa lang galing airport, umaakyat kami ng Mactan bridge. Naalala ko ‘yung last time na umaakyat ako ng Mactan bridge pero nagbibisikleta ako for that 90 kilometer ride. So, ngayon na action ang ginagawa namin, parang nabalik ako doon,” she said.
(I remember vividly, when I came from the airport, we climbed Mactan bridge. I remember the last time I climbed Mactan bridge but I was cycling for that 90 kilometer ride. So, now that I am doing action, it was like I returned there).
In the series, Laxa plays Atty. Helen Gomez who gives Apollo (Richard Gutierrez) his secret missions. EDV