Sanya Lopez, Michelle Dee, Faith Da Silva, more Sparkle stars, beauty queens to compete in fictional pageant for 'Red Crown'

Sanya Lopez, Michelle Dee, Faith Da Silva, and several other Sparkle stars and beauty queens are set to trade the glitz of showbiz for the glamour of the pageant world in the upcoming satirical comedy movie “Red Crown.”

According to Aubrey Carampel’s "24 Oras" report on Friday, the film centers on the fictional pageant called “Queen of the Islands” and brings together some of the country’s well-known beauty queens and actresses.

For Michelle, who has experience in both pageantry and showbiz, being part of the "Red Crown" allows her to combine two worlds she knows well.

“I’m excited because my two areas of expertise, which are showbiz and pageantry, will merge. It will be interesting to see how beauty queens adjust to the life of an actress, and vice versa, how actresses adjust to pageant life,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Meanwhile, Sanya admitted that competing with seasoned beauty queens on the runway was challenging, but she was grateful for their guidance.

(Napapasabak tayo sa rampahan agad. At siyempre, with the help of our beauty queens, hindi rin ako masyadong nahirapan kasi andiyan sila to guide me, especially si MMD. Ano siya eh, super hands-on)

“We were immediately thrown into the runway competition. I was able to manage with the help of our beauty queens, who were there to guide me, especially MMD. She’s super hands-on,” Sanya said.

For Faith, portraying a beauty queen is a dream come true, especially as “Red Crown” marks her first movie.

“Everyone knows it has always been a dream of mine to join a beauty pageant. And this is also my very first movie. I’m very, very excited because I feel like it’s leading me somewhere bigger than my dreams and goals. It’s a step-by-step journey,” she said.

To make their performances more authentic, the cast underwent actual pageant preparations, including pasarela training, photoshoots in swimsuits and evening gowns, and other activities that allowed the actresses to experience the life of a beauty queen.

Shuvee Etrata, who is also part of the film, said the experience felt much like an actual pageant. “I think the only difference is that we have a script that we follow. That’s it. But all in all, it feels like we’re actually in a pageant. There’s a swimsuit competition and a long gown competition,” she said.

Much like in pageantry, a sense of sisterhood also developed among the cast as they helped one another throughout the production.

Ahtisa Manalo, who is also part of the film, said her own experience as a beauty queen helped her understand the role, although transitioning from a beauty queen to an actress portraying one presented a different challenge.

“I think it helps when you can internalize what beauty queens actually go through in order to play a certain role. I’m lucky because I’ve already experienced it. The difficult part for me is figuring out how to be an actress who is also a beauty queen,” she said.

Aside from Michelle, Sanya, Athisa, Shuvee and Faith, “Red Crown” also stars AZ Martinez, Yllana Aduana, Alethea Ambrosio, Ara Arida, Herlene Budol, Skye Chua, Haley Dizon, MJ Encabo, Gazini Ganados, Rein Hillary, Maika Kemmochi, MJ Lastimosa, Aira Lopez, Ashley Ortega, Vanessa Peña, Sandy Riccio, Jade Tecson, Tarah Valencia, Yna Angela Uy, and Yza Thalia Uy.

It is directed by Dominic Zapata and will premiere in cinemas in October.

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— Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA News