Unang iWant digital series ni Julia Barretto ang I Am U kasama si Tony Labrusca na conceptualized nina Direk Jun Robles Lana at Perci M. Intalan na pinitch nila sa Dreamscape Entertainment head na si Deo T. Endrinal na kaagad naman daw nagustuhan, at si Dwein Baltazar ang piniling direktor.
Sa I Am U mediacon ay natanong sina direk Perci at Dwein kung bakit si Julia ang pinili nilang bida.
“Because she’s perfect for the role. Honestly, I’m really thrilled kasi this project is something na we were developing and we were looking for the right platform and we’ve always wondered, sino ang makakatayo sa role?
“When we met with sir Deo and the prospect with this project and the name of Julia came up, sobra kaming na-excite, na, ‘sige okay na, willing to wait kahit ilang taon kami abutin sa kanya, basta hintayin natin kasi, honestly I think Julia is at the station in her career na ang ganda kasi makikita mo ‘yung dynamics nalalaro niya ‘yung nuisances and I was not disappointed of what I saw sobrang na-thrill ako even with the first rushes that direk Dwein showed us, kitang-kita ko talaga at ang magnetic nu’ng persona ni Julia both as Elise and as Rose and that’s what we were looking for, eh an actress who can pull it off in such a way na regardless of which character she was playing drawn ka so for that series, you would still continue watching as you were trying to (find) kung ano ‘yung mystery behind it. Sobrang na-deliver ni Julia (character) and I’m really excited for people to see it and excited to working with Julia more hopefully in the future,” mahabang sagot ni direk Perci.
At si direk Dwein? “Opo naka-deliver si Julia, todo ‘yung ibinigay niya rito, Icame in (as director) na as Julia the actress at nalaman ko na siya ang artista, sobrang saya, sobrang kilig talaga na makatrabaho si Julia B.”
Habang nagkukuwento ang direktor at producer ng I Am U ay ang ganda ng ngiti ni Julia kaya hiningan siya ng reaksyon.
“Unang-una po, thank you, kinilig naman ako (papuri sa kanya), very, very grateful I think, grateful thank you,” masayang sabi ng aktres.
Gagampanan ni Julia ang karakter na Rose at Elise na iisa ang mukha pero magkaibang tao at magkaiba ang ugali.
Sino kina Rose at Elise ang gusto ni Julia?
“Very interesting baka giveaway. Gusto ko sila pareho they both have an edge, may kulo silang dalawa at gustung-gusto ko ‘yun na may tinatago sila sa loob na gusto nilang ilabas or something like that. Wala ng nagpapaapi, laban kung laban at sino ang mananalo sa laban,” sagot niya.
Napansin na ang mga latest character na ginagampanan ngayon ni Julia ay hindi na rom-com kaya graduate na ba siya sa pakilig projects.
“At this point I think I’m just very, very grateful that I’ve been trusted with projects na that the usual that I’ve done before. I’m glad that na nakakapaglaro na ako, I’m more free to do some scenes, some roles that take more risks and take the jump that I can take roles fearlessly, the actress that I’ve always wanted to be.
“The question na I will not do kilig movies anymore, siguro graduate na ako sa kung saan ako nanggaling, graduate na ako sa being permanent love team and I’ve been blessed that Iexperienced that, don’t get me wrong but I’m already graduated from that phase of my career and ‘yung kilig naman I (still) can, I still enjoy doing rom-coms (romantic comedy) and hopefully I can still do rom-drama (romantic drama) para classic love story naman, more drama and more edgy role siguro,” paliwanag nang mabuti ni Julia.
Masyadong mataas ang expectation ngayon kay Julia sa mga bago niyang karakter tulad sa Block Z at I Am U.
“Right now mas focus ako sa in every way Ican, Ijust wanna do my best and always push myself to deliver and perform, siguro tumanda na rin ako. Siguro if younger mas parang napi-pressure ako because there’s so many expectation to live up to. Ngayon Ionly have one goal, always deliver, perform and sana give kung ano ‘yung hinihingi,” say ng aktres.
Natawa naman ang media sa kuwento ni Julia nang malaman niyang si Tony ang leading man niya. “Maraming laplapan? Kasi nai-imagine ko si Tony sa Glorious (iWant movie), he’s so sexy and hot at maraming laplapan nga.”
Samantala, inamin ng dalaga na excited siyang maka-trabaho ang mga bagong leading man na makakasama niya sa projects.
“Iwould like to work with Jericho Rosales. In a classic love story, Iwanna work with Ian Veneracion. We worked na kami (Ian) as father and daughter, but now pag nag-work kami, gusto ko parang love story, romance. Sa actress, Ialways say, si Ms Vilma Santos,” saad ni Julia.
Anyway, mapapanood na ang I Am U sa Pebrero 26 sa iWant at bukod kina Julia at Tony ay kasama rin sina Ina Raymundo, Richard Quan, Cedrick Juan, Kokoy De Santos, Claire Ruiz, Lander Vera Perez, Adrianna So, Yayo Aguila, at Jenny Miller.
-Reggee Bonoan