"TINATANONG ko din yan. Bakit ako?"
This was Yen Santos' immediate response when asked why she thinks she was picked to play the leading lady of Piolo Pascual in the upcoming romantic movie "Once In A Lifetime."
According to the 24-year-old, it is still a mystery to her but she's thankful for the opportunity to work alongside the ultimate leading man in show business.
"Lahat naman may dahilan kung bakit. Sobrang laking opportunity nito and wala akong ibang masabi kundi thankful lang talaga ako. Nakakataba ng puso," she said in an interview after she signed a four-picture contract with Regal Entertainment.
The former "Mutya" and "All of Me" actress recalled that when she was discussing the project with Regal Films and movie director Dondon Santos, they failed to inform her who her leading man would be.
That's why when she was finally introduced to Pascual, she was stunned and star struck.
"Hindi ko naman in-expect. Nung nag meeting kami, alam ko lang ay may movie. Hindi ko alam na si Papa P. ang partner ko. Nung nagkita-kita kami, nagulat na lang ako."
"Namula na ako at hindi na ako nakapagsalita kasi ultimate crush ko yun. Hindi ko in-expect na agad agad e makaka partner ko siya."
Santos said it is a big feat for her to star opposite Pascual in her first movie project.
The actress also said she had hesitations at first but she's more excited now with the material they will present to the audience.
"Sobrang dami kong hesitations nung una. Nagtanong talaga ako kung kakayanin ko ba. Para sa akin ay nag-uumpisa pa lang ako e and Piolo Pascual yun. Alam nating lahat na yung nakakapareho niya ay mga actress, Judy Ann Santos, Claudine Barretto, Sarah Geronimo. Ang tanong ko e kakayanin ko ba ito?"
She's also hopeful not to disappoint Regal Films, Santos, Pascual and the moviegoers.
"Sabi ko na lang na kung ibinigay sa akin, sino ba naman ako para tumanggi. Yung tiwala na binigay, ang gagawin ko ay ibalik ang tiwala na yun at galingan para ma-prove ko na hindi sila nagkamali."
Santos and Pascual recently came back from a 10-day shoot at Queenstown, New Zealand.
And while she's recalling her scenes with the actor and how blessed she was to be given an opportunity to shoot something abroad, Santos more or less had an answer to why she was picked for the role.
"Siguro may dahilan ang lahat at pana-panahon lang yan," she ended. (Sunnex)
