Barbie Forteza’s latest big screen project “P77” promises to be more than just a full-fledged horror treat, with its makers and the official trailer suggesting a multilayered film laced with socially relevant concepts. 

But underneath the exciting elements that should make this psychological horror a can’t-miss movie is an unassuming showcase of Barbie’s acting brilliance and her willingness to go deep into a genre she is not used to.

Here’s a glimpse of Barbie’s creative process for P77– in her own words.

CHALLENGES 
The most notable hiccup in portraying the lead role of Luna, Barbie admits, is the backdrop against which the character exists. The challenge is the genre itself– ‘horror’ being a rarity in Barbie’s acting career.

“Sa lahat naman ng bagay na hindi mo laging ginagawa, challenging sya pag gagawin mo kasi it's not something na comfortable kang gawin, that you do all the time. Kaya mixed emotions talaga yung nararamdaman ko– pressuring, challenging but fulfilling as an artist,” shared Barbie during an intimate press conference on Tuesday.

The Kapuso Primetime Princess, known for her thorough acting and on-screen range, said she found it challenging to internalize fear especially in situations where the objective is a specific emotion humans naturally avoid. 

“As actors, we really want to show the truth as much as we can in portraying our roles. May it be nakakaiyak, nakakatuwa, nakakakilig. Yung nakakatakot, it’s the most mentally challenging kasi iba yung takot ang kailangan mo bigyan ng katotohanan. Ang hirap nun kasi its the one thing na iniiwasan mo sa totoong buhay diba? Yung matakot?” the Sparkle star said. 

According to Barbie, having to counter the natural urge to evade terrifying emotions was  laborious, let alone repeat that process for an entire film where she is the main character.

“We do everything para hindi matakot. So para pilitin mo yung sarili mong matakot, challenging yun. And to do it every time, to do it the same way kasi maraming angles and shots– yun yung challenging for me,” added Barbie, who also revealed that delving into concepts such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) needed extra work so as to not commit inaccuracies.

ACTING STYLE
Barbie went above and beyond in order to pull off such a complex roleplay in her dream (albeit unfamiliar) genre.

During the press conference, she shared that, while lacking the formal education on acting methods, she is big on “learning everything along the way as I go,” and makes use of an acting approach called the Meisner technique.

“I like watching interviews of my favorite actors like Javier Bardem, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench– and a lot of my favorite actors use the Meisner technique which is very convenient sa setup ng sistema dito sa Pilipinas, kung paano gumawa ng content o pelikula dito,” she bared.

Barbie believes that this approach, developed by theater actor-teacher Sanford Meisner, works best for someone like her who juggles a number of acting projects simultaneously, naturally requiring separate character studies. 

“Mas Philippine-friendly and Meisner, kasi you just make yourself aware of the surroundings, you get stimulus from co-actors, you react. Actually nagawa ko rin siya sa ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra, may some things na kailangan ilagay sa set eh.” 

She also compared it to another commonly known technique called method acting, where the crux of the depiction lies in the ability of the actor to identify with the character’s psyche on such a deep, often taxing level.  

“Sa Method (acting) kasi, nakakapagod sya at may times na maraming projects na pinagsasabay. Kaya mahirap mag-method acting kasi kailangan mag-stick ka sa isang character lang katulad ngayon galing pa akong Beauty Empire,” quipped the 27-year-old star.  

It is only a matter of days before the viewing public gets to enjoy this latest masterpiece by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, which premieres on July 30, but Barbie Forteza is already head over heels for this Derrick Cabrido-directed horror-thriller.

“Hindi ko pa man napapanood, I am confident sa ginawa namin, kung paano namin sya ginawa. We owe it to the audience, since there is a challenge in theaters right now, we are catering to something new and something worth buying… This is something worth buying and watching,” said Barbie. 

“And horror is best experienced in theaters kasi you get to share it with the rest of the crowd,” she added.