For Gen Z stars Ashtine Olviga and Andres Muhlach, love is both a personal belief and the central theme of their upcoming film, Minamahal: 100 Bulaklak Para Kay Luna.
Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, Ashtine said that while her character in the movie doesn’t believe in love, the actress herself feels quite the opposite.
“When you share love, the energy becomes positive, everything feels good, and all your interactions with people are just better,” she explained.
“I think love is one of the most powerful things in the world. Every day, as humans, we all want to love and to feel loved. And anything we want to do or achieve in life, we need love to make it happen. So yes, I think love is very important for all of us,” Andres echoed.
Ashtine and Andres, dubbed as AshDres, who rose to fame as Jay-Jay and Kiefer, respectively, in the hit series Ang Mutya ng Section E, are now headlining their first film together under Viva Films. Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana, the movie follows a quiet high school flower enthusiast named Raffy who tries to win over Luna, a visual artist who doesn’t believe in love, by giving her flowers at key moments in her life.
On July 4, when the teaser was dropped, it quickly drew massive attention, gaining 12 million views in just 24 hours. Ashtine and Andres admitted the response caught them off guard.
“Of course, we were surprised. I personally knew there were many fans waiting, but I didn’t expect that much support. I’m really grateful,” she expressed.
“I didn’t expect it either. The views suddenly hit millions. When I woke up the next day, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it already has millions.’ So we’re really thankful to all the fans and everyone supporting us,” added Andres.
Despite the hype, both actors said they are trying to stay grounded.
“I felt a bit pressured because I thought I had to meet everyone’s expectations. But when I caught myself thinking that way, I stopped. Because when I let pressure in, I really lose focus. I start to doubt what I’m capable of. So I chose to just focus on what I need to do, on what the character is feeling,” the actress shared.
As for Andres, he said he took the pressure as motivation to do more and do better.
“That kind of pressure is important. If you want to give a good performance or be at your best, you need that pressure. That kind of pressure is what helps push you forward,” he said.
With filming set to begin in September, both stars are currently attending acting workshops. Though they hadn’t seen each other for a while before shooting the teaser, their chemistry remained intact.
While fans eagerly await the film, Laxamana reminded them that Minamahal aims to showcase more than just kilig.
“I really want this film to show Ashtine and Andres’s capabilities as actors so that even if someday the hype around Mutya or their love team fades, people will still see them as serious actors who performed well without relying on popularity,” the director stated.
Minamahal: 100 Bulaklak Para Kay Luna is set to hit cinemas soon.
