From seducing to taming Rabin Angeles
Not too long ago, Rabin Angeles was just manifesting his dream of landing a starring role in a movie. Now, he has unveiled the teaser for his first major big screen outing, “A Werewolf Boy”—a local remake of the popular Korean film of the same title starring Song Joong-ki.
“I’ve been praying for so long to have a project like this. Parang kailan lang sabi ko gusto kong magkaroon ng movie this year. So I can’t believe this project landed on my lap,” Angeles tells Lifestyle Inquirer at a recent press conference.
“A Werewolf Boy”—an important milestone not only for Angeles’ career, but also for his growing love team with his “Seducing Drake Palma (SDP)” leading lady Angela Muji—is a fitting launching pad for the actor, who had been raring to prove his mettle and take on meatier roles.
Facing the challenge head-on
The 2012 film was a pivotal project for Song. By portraying a complex, feral character with minimal dialogue, he proved himself to be a far more versatile and nuanced performer than his charming roles in historical dramas and lighthearted rom-coms had previously allowed.
This project could very well hold the same potential for Angeles. Though nervous, he’s more than ready to take on the challenge head-on. He admits that he still has a long way to go as an actor, but he also knows that the only way to grow is by pushing his limits.
“Kabang-kaba ‘ko. ‘Di pa ‘ko ganon kagaling umarte. But still, I’ve always wanted to be given a real acting piece. I asked for it,” Angeles says. “I want to prove that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to show that I can act. This is it.”
Muji feels the same way. “Sobrang pressured po ako talaga,” she admits. “There were many times I thought I wasn’t ready for this. But then I realized that you can never be fully ready. You just have to decide to jump in. You have to be brave for your dreams.”
If this remake—to be helmed also by “SDP” director Crisanto Aquino—stays faithful to the original, the story will follow Sarah (Muji), who discovers a young man with wolf-like traits (Angeles) living in her family’s rural property. As she tries to tame him and teach him how to live among humans, their bond curiously blossoms into love. However, his mysterious past and volatile instincts soon begin threatening their connection.
“It will be the first [time] he feels love,” Angeles says of his character.
“I play someone going through something [difficult], but her life and world become colorful again when they meet,” Muji says.
Untapped emotions
While they have gained valuable experience working on “SDP”—and “Ang Mutya ng Section E,” where they played non-intersecting characters—they both anticipate that their upcoming film will require “heavier character work” and tap into emotions they have yet to fully explore. It’s only natural that their preparation has intensified accordingly.
“The style of acting in a movie and soap [opera] is different. Here, we have to be more subtle but still real and felt. We also tried many new things in our workshop,” says Muji, adding that it was important for them to shape characters that are distinctly different from what they did in “SDP.”
This may apply especially to Muji, whose character—unlike Angeles’ feral persona—doesn’t stray too far from typical human behavior. “Hindi dapat interchangeable [from past roles], otherwise, it means the portrayal isn’t effective. We want to give the characters justice,” she says.
Angeles watched the original film—but only in parts—careful not to let Song’s portrayal influence his own approach to the role. “Sobrang solid ni Song Joong-ki. But of course, we have to show something new. Idol ko ‘yan, but that doesn’t mean I should copy him,” Angeles points out.
Making the role more tedious and labor-intensive is the fact that, beyond script reading and character analysis, Angeles also has to put on prosthetics, which take about four hours to put on. “And then I have to act like a dog for two hours straight,” he says, laughing. “I can’t break character!”
A life-changing project
After “SDP,” which aired its final episode last Sept. 26 on Viva One, Angeles and Muji can now safely say that chemistry comes naturally to them. In fact, Muji doesn’t even have to act “kinikilig because kinikilig talaga ako kay Rabin.” “I’m naturally attracted to him, so the chemistry is there,” says the actress, who, in “SDP,” played a quirky high school student caught in a comedic scheme to seduce the mysterious Drake (Angeles) for the sake of her friend.
Even so, Angeles believes there’s still room to strengthen their rapport, and he hopes that they could sustain the momentum they have built from “SDP.” “I still can’t believe that so many people supported us. Sobrang kinikilig ako. Kaya kinakabahan ako kung ganon pa rin dito,” he says.
But regardless of how this new project turns out, it’s undeniable that “SDP” was a blessing to their burgeoning careers.
Muji says she now gets recognized in public—and when she doesn’t, her father takes matters into his own hands, asking people if they watch the show and if they’d like a photo with his daughter. “Nakakahiya,” she admits, laughing. “But I know he’s just proud of me. And I’m happy I have something to show for it, even in my short time in showbiz.”
Indeed, “SDP” has changed Angeles’ life. “But it didn’t change me,” he stresses. “Bawal lumaki ang ulo. Kung paano ako nagsimula, dapat gano’n pa rin ngayon.”
