Playtime, a new movie between GMA Pictures and Viva Films, witnessed Xian Lim, Sanya Lopes, Faye Lorenzo, and Coleen Garcia’s commitment as actors. As the lead stars of the suspense thriller, they immersed themselves fully in preparation for their roles.
Xian, for instance, adopted a rigorous workout routine to embody his character. Sanya focused on internalizing how she could bring a fresh dimension to her role, while, Coleen and Faye mentally and physically prepared for their respective roles. And it was a daily routine for them leading to doing the official job.
Playtime, is another interesting concept for a big screen project, It intricately weaves the lives of three women, each from different walks of life, into a gripping tale of trust and manipulation.
Allyson (Sanya), a popular vlogger and influencer, forms a bond with a seemingly harmless fan, only to uncover his dangerous intentions.
Roni (Coleen), a bride-to-be, seeks a final thrill and engages in a fling with a stranger she meets at a bar.
Meanwhile, Patricia (Faye), desperate to break free from her abusive partner, places her trust in a stranger who appears as her savior.
Their paths intertwine as they all become entangled with Lucas (played by Xian), a man whose twisted notion of amusement leads to grave consequences for the women ensnared in his web.
Sanya expressed that the film shows a different side of her and her co-actors, something moviegoers can anticipate.
“We did many things here that all of us did for the first time. It’s one of those suspense thrillers that differ from the usual ones you watch. I did something here that you will see for the first time,” shared the Sparkle actress.
“The three of us have different characters and different stories here. So I hope you look forward to it because it’s exciting, very suspenseful. I hope you can feel how we were breathless and struggled in the story,” she added.
Xian, meanwhile, elevated his preparations for his role to another level. “Physically, I was bulking up for this. When they offered me the role, they said that Lucas, my character, would be after the three girls. I thought maybe I should veer away from the boy-next-door, loving son, romantic lead image, and move into a bigger guy, right? Like, if I’m with three girls, they won’t be able to get away from me,” Xian explained.
“So it was a conscious effort for me to gain a little bit of muscle mass for this. Mentally, it’s just getting into the mindset that you’re playing a psychopath. So, it’s a bit hard, but I managed,” he added.
Xian’s fellow Viva artist, Coleen, likewise expressed her excitement at being part of this latest film. “All the characters are really interesting. It’s very thrilling, it’s very suspenseful. You wouldn’t be able to guess what’s going to happen,” shared Coleen. “I think, for all of us – the artists in this movie – everything we did was new.”
Like Xian, Faye also ensured she was physically and mentally ready for her character as Patricia. “Of course, first and foremost, I worked out because we had some skin-baring scenes here. And of course, I studied the character. First, I read the script, and then I studied the character,” she said.
Playtime serves as a homecoming for director Mark A. Reyes V, who began his directorial career in Viva through anthologies and the hit ‘90s youth-oriented series, “T.G.I.S.,” which aired on GMA.
Completing the cast are Bruce Roeland, Haley Dizon, Kim Perez, Lienel Navidad, and Camille Patricia Guzman.
Playtime unspools in cinemas nationwide on June 12.
