Erik Matti, the director who quit the Darna big screen project, thought Liza Soberano would have been a fresh and exciting superheroine, but he also believed that Nadine Lustre could give the iconic role an exciting flavor. Fans and netizens couldn’t agree more.
Asked for a comment during a recent pocket presscon, the Viva artist said that although the auditions for the role is in full swing, she hasn’t received any offer to audition or train for Darna yet, but if she would be approached to give it a try, she would consider it a good opportunity.
“Darna is a Filipino icon. She’s a protector and a symbol of hope. I feel honored and humbled to be among the popular fan choices to bring Darna to life. I’m not expecting anything though, and I’m not the kind of person who’s assuming. Alam ko naman po ibibigay nila ‘yung role sa taong deserving,” she told some members of the entertainment press at the Viva office in Ortigas.
“In case I get chosen [to play the role] I would dedicate my time to preparations for the project. I’m excited to do stunts and harness training because I always wanted to star in an action movie,” she added.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old multimedia princess has just cemented her status as the best actress of her generation with her recent victory at the 2019 FAMAS Awards where she bagged the trophy for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her acclaimed blockbuster movie Never Not Love You.
This is Nadine’s first film acting nomination and award from a major organization. Even more noteworthy is the fact that she won over a formidable group of nominees including Judy Ann Santos, Angelica Panganiban, Anne Curtis, and Sarah Geronimo.
“It’s so overwhelming. I feel proud and humble at the same time to be given this honor by FAMAS, which is considered an institution in the industry,” Nadine said.
This career milestone comes just five years after Nadine made her big breakthrough in showbiz via the movie Diary ng Panget, which was shown in the summer of 2014. The teen-oriented blockbuster instantly made her a household name.
Her acting skills got honed with subsequent movie and TV shows that saw her tackling more complex roles. Praises for her performance kept pouring in from ordinary viewers and critics alike, notably for her top-rating TV series On the Wings of Love where she played a simple girl who is forced to marry in order to legally stay in the US.
Still, many are surprised by the level of excellence she displayed in Never Not Love You. But it’s less of a mystery now where Nadine drew her emotions from. In her speech at the FAMAS, she revealed that she was damaged in her personal life just a few months before she made the movie.
“I encountered a storm in October 2017, it caused big damage. I thought of backing out several times. That’s the reason why I am so proud to have finished this film. I was at the lowest point of my life. So completing the film with flying colors was a big achievement,” the young actress recalled.
Her FAMAS trophy is further proof of that. And as further proof that Never Not Love You was not a fluke, Nadine received more raves for her follow-up movie, Ulan. In fact, several showbiz watchers have said she’s a shoo-in for more Best Actress nominations in next year’s awards race.
Nadine will showcase more acting fireworks, as well as dancing skills, in her next film, the musical drama Indak, which is scheduled to hit the big screen later this year. She is also set to return to television in a new show in ABS-CBN where she renewed her exclusive for another year.
“At the moment I can’t reveal what my next projects would be just yet. I’m just glad that I feel more inspired to work. I didn’t know that there are people who look up to me because of the things I do. I didn’t see myself as someone who can become a role model. So, this gives me more inspirations to share my talent,” she ended.
