Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga poses for a photo opportunity after their press conference in Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/ EDD BUENAVIAJE)
“I love you, Piolo!”
This was Toni Gonzaga’s magic phrase when she made her successful foray into showbiz as an ecstatic teenage fan to ultimate heartthrob Piolo Pascual in a popular TV softdrink commercial.
Doors opened and 13 years passed with huge hosting gigs, record-selling albums, and movie box office hits but it was only recently that the singer-host-actress can say that her dream has
finally come true—a movie opposite her teenage idol and crush Piolo.
“It’s a dream come true. It’s like a prayer answered kasi I started out as a fan ni Piolo doon sa commercial. It’s so inspiring to share that story na if it can happen to me, it can happen to you or it can happen to anyone for as long as you don’t give up on your dream and hold on to your faith na one day matutupad din ‘yung mga pangarap mo na you may start out as a fan but eventually you can be paired (with your idol),” said Toni about Star Cinema’s Valentine offering “Starting Over Again” which opens today in cinemas nationwide.
From avid fan, Toni now plays leading lady to Piolo in the romantic-comedy-drama film.
“Actually, noong ginawa namin ‘yung commercial never ko namang inisip na someday makakatrabaho ko sya sa pelikula. Noong nakapasok na ako sa industriya, ‘yun pinangarap ko na ‘yun, na sana makasama ko sya sa isang project. It took 13 years but it was worth it because I’ve learned so much from the experience of waiting for the right time. It taught me so much life lessons na this project has so much value to me kasi ang tagal kong hinintay,” revealed Toni during the movie’s Cebu press conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel last Saturday.
Toni has reportedly started her career at age 13 joining amateur singing competitions and auditioning for TV commercials. The now 30-year-old multi-media artist acknowledges the “I love you, Piolo” ad to have opened many doors for her.
STRUGGLING YEARS
“My struggling years took me, seven to eight years before I landed the role ‘I love you, Piolo.’ It took a lot of heartaches, rejections when I finally got the role,” said Toni.
In an earlier interview with Piolo during the Sinulog week, the 37-year-old actor recalled his first impression of Toni when they first worked together.
“At 16, she already had that drive. I knew there was something she could offer, more than a pretty face,” said Piolo.
When asked where she pulls out her strong drive to succeed in showbiz, Toni attributed her upbringing and struggling years as a newbie.
“Siguro when you grow up in a family na hindi naprovide lahat nang wants mo in life, parang you’re so motivated to get somewhere. Di ba kapag hindi mo nakukuha lahat ng bagay na pinapangarap mo noong bata ka… Even up to now, everything na nakukuha natin na trabaho, na opportunity parang I always feel na I have to earn it. It’s not given to me in a silver platter. It was not handed to me na naka-red carpet. Parang lahat talaga pinagtatrabahuan. It’s how I was raised na hindi mo makukuha ng madali ang mga bagay sa mundo, pinaghihirapan which is something I value because alam ko kung paano maging grateful sa mga malilit o malalaki na bagay na pinagkakatiwala sa akin. When I look back, with all the rejections I encountered siguro sa sampung auditions before 11 ang naireject ko, naibagsak ko. I guess if you do not give up on your dreams, kapag talagang nagtyaga ka, may pupuntahan ka kahit paano,” said Toni.
DREAM PROJECT
Finally getting her dream project, Toni revealed that she gave her all in the movie like never before seen.
“Parang when you’re paired with Piolo Pascual who is the ultimate heartthrob, hindi mo pa ba ibibigay ang lahat? Magtitipid ka pa ba sa sarili mo? Hindi na ako nagtipid, binigay ko na lahat!” Toni candidly said while referring to some mature scenes in the film.
Apart from Piolo, Toni will also be working for the first time with the acclaimed actor’s director Olivia M. Lamasan who helmed “The Mistress” and “Milan.” Celebrities fondly call her “Inang.”
“It was really a perfect material for both us. Clear bonus was having Inang. It was a dream project for both of us. We can do any movie naman eh but it has to be the right fit. So this is what happened, it all fell into place, we waited for so long, we’d see each other on the hallway and would tell each other, nag-aaway pa nga kami eh, ‘ayaw mo daw akong makatrabaho,’ apparently, iba yung naririnig naming,” said Piolo.
“Starting Over Again” is a story about Marco (Piolo) and Ginny (Toni) who fell in love, broke up and get to see each other again when Marco is already in a relationship with another woman played by Iza Calzado.
“It deals with reality on what really happens when people fall in love, what happens after and what happens when they meet again. In a nutshell, it’s a story about exes. How to deal when you see your ex again and if the feeling is still there, how do you cope? Premise talaga niya, will they get back together,” said Piolo about the film.
Toni further revealed that moviegoers would learn a lot from watching the film.
“Hindi sya superficial love story noong binabasa namin. It was so real that it affected me so much na even na wala naman akong ganong klaseng experience sa love department in real life feeling ko ang dami ko nang napagdaanan dahil sa pelikulang ito,” said Toni.
The movie’s trailer has now garnered more than 2.7 million views on YouTube.
“This is by far, the most beautiful love story I’ve ever read, I ever did. ” concluded Toni.