Jodi Sta. Maria and Joshua Garcia get ‘really intimate’ in ‘Unbreak My Heart’
Joshua (left) with Gabbi Garcia
I’d rather that they make me cry all day than do that,” said Jodi Sta. Maria who admitted that, in spite of the critical acclaim and awards she has received as an actress, she still feels nervous whenever she is asked to do intimate scenes with her leading man.
“I can never get used to doing scenes like that,” said Jodi in a recent interview to promote her latest romantic drama series, “Unbreak My Heart,” alongside Joshua Garcia and Richard Yap. “But then, difficult and sensitive scenes like the one I did with Josh for this series required a lot of trust, not only from my coactor, but also from my director. You just have to trust in his vision, to know that he will take care of you and make sure that the scene will be artistically done. That’s exactly what happened.”
Joshua added: “Doing the scene was required from us by the story, and, as actors, we had to deliver. I’m also the type who prefers to take on challenges at work, and this is one that I’m glad I was able to fulfill. I’m also glad that Ate Jods trusted me. This made not just doing the intimate scene, but also the entire project, a lot easier.”
“Unbreak My Heart” follows the story of Rose (Jodi), a woman who longs to heal her shattered heart and atone for her sins by rebuilding the family that she has lost. In her journey, she gets entangled in a May-September love affair with Renz (Joshua), an equally wounded soul who helps Rose fill the void in her heart.
Jodi Sta. Maria
Later on, Renz meets Alex (Gabbi Garcia), a girl his age who is willing to fight for his love and affection, and gets caught in a love triangle. Their relationship takes a darker turn when Matt (Richard Yap) intervenes in order to protect his family. The story gets complicated for Rose when she is made to choose whether or not to still fight for Renz, as well as to seek forgiveness from Matt.
Knowing one’s limits
Jodi said it helped that she and Joshua attended what she called a “sensuality workshop” to prepare for the crucial intimate scene. “If ever I’m placed in a circumstance wherein I feel uncomfortable with something, I make sure to discuss this with my coworkers. I’m thankful to the production team for providing us with a sensuality workshop because this really helped me get through a difficult scene like that,” she said.
For Joshua, the workshop is something that every actor who is required to shoot sensual scenes should experience. “It’s not uncommon for actors, especially those who are already deep into their characters, to go beyond their boundaries. If you take the workshop, at least you and your coactor will know what you’re willing to give, as well as your limits,” he explained.
An intimate scene from “Unbreak My Heart”
Dolly Dolu, who codirected the series with Emmanuel Palo, took on the task of directing the intimate scene between Joshua and Jodi. “We sat down first to talk about it. We were all aware that it was an experience that we needed to achieve. Based on the story, it was the culmination of events that happened between their characters,” he began.
“I told them it had to be passionate and intense, being that it’s the climax of the long journey they went through. They understood this. I also told them that I will respect their limits, and from there, I will simply adjust the camera blocking while capturing the scene. As director, I wanted them to feel comfortable and shoot only what was suited for TV, but at the same time, still get the emotion we needed to convey,” Dolly explained.
“Were they convincing? I’m proud to say ‘yes.’ Based on the screams and claps we received during the recent celebrity screening, the effect the scene conveyed was very romantic,” the director declared.
Dolly added: “When it came to Josh’s scenes with his other leading lady, Gabbi, I only had to do a little tweaking because they’re already good friends in real life. The chemistry was already there. I just had to push them a little further in terms of the love angle because, well, they’re friends who don’t see each other in a romantic way.”
Inner grief
This particular task wasn’t too difficult, he said. “If Joshua Garcia looks into your eyes intensely, won’t you melt and fall in love? However, Josh, who is very malambing, is different from Renz, who has inner grief and personal issues eating him up. It took time for Josh to pull this out of his chest, but when he finally did, his performance was mind-blowing.”
Meanwhile, at the media conference, Joshua was asked to differentiate the kissing scene he had with Jodi from the one he did with Gabbi. “Yes, they were deliberately different. The one with Jodi was more passionate, touching and intentionally slower. With Gab, there was passion too, but also with the energy appropriate for our age. May diin ng konti,” he explained.
Joshua Garcia
Joshua, who claimed to be currently single, said he could also see himself falling in love with a woman much older than him, just like his character Renz who fell for Jodi’s Rose. “I think it’s possible. I’m more mature now, so I look for a deeper connection emotionally in my relationships. Of course, the joy and excitement, as well as falling in love, should also be part of it,” he pointed out.
“Unbreak My Heart,” the first collaboration of GMA Network and ABS-CBN Corp., premieres at 9:35 tonight on GMA Telebabad, Pinoy Hits and I Heart Movies. Shot in the scenic locations of Switzerland, Italy and the Philippines, the series is produced by Dreamscape Entertainment and also features Laurice Guillen, Eula Valdes, Sunshine Cruz, Nikki Valdez, Romnick Sarmenta, Maey Bautista and young actors Will Ashley, Jeremiah Lisbo and Bianca de Vera. INQ
