You and Rhen Escaño’s characters in Adan are pretty bold and daring considering you two are lovers—what did you think about it when the movie was first offered to you?

It was terrifying the first time I read the script, but somehow I felt that the story was “astig”, and we don’t usually do this kind of story here in the Philippines. And I thought it can take me away from my beauty queen stigma.


What do you mean by the “stigma” of being a beauty queen?

A lot of people think we can only have maganda, mayaman, and mahinhin roles. That we can’t be versatile actresses, can’t do heavy drama or other genres. Once they know that I’m a beauty queen [she was Binibining Pilipinas Tourism 2013], they automatically think that I can’t act and it will be be too awkward because of my height and all that, they think I might be too intimidating. I’m just so lucky lately that I’ve been starting to get more heavy drama roles especially on TV. 


How did you prepare for the scene required in the movie, especially the love scenes with Rhen? Did you watch any similar movies or consult with friends who were LGBT?

I watched at least five very good LGBT movies and they were so good that I wanted to do the same. I thought I could do it and I think was able to do it, ha ha ha! The love scenes with Rhen were easy—we’re actresses and we can be whoever we want to be in the work that we do; it wasn’t Cindy, it’s her character Marian. Did I consult with LGBT friends? Well, my LGBT friends are mostly gay. I wish I had lesbian friends, too.


In these days of being “woke”, hindi na dapat problema ang same-sex relationships. What are your thoughts on this?

I think we’re more open now with same-sex relationships, I have a lot of friends who are in the same-sex relationships and they don’t have problem showing it to the world, I even love seeing them so in love with each other. 


Adan could probably mark a return to when sexy movies were huge. If sexy movies does make a big comeback do you see yourself becoming its next big star? Because, honestly, you have what it takes to rule the genre!

Hmmmm.... I’ll think about it cause for now I just really want to be a good actress, a versatile one. And hopefully get a best actress award, ha ha ha! Fingers crossed!


Probably our most important question: Can you describe how it felt like to kiss another woman? As in the best possible description you can give!

A lot softer and gentler, as if seconds felt a little bit slower but my heart was rushing and felt like it was about to explode! And it was a whoa-I-kissed-a-girl-and-I-liked-it moment, ha ha ha! But that was Marian that time, not Cindy. And when I really think about it, there’s really no difference at all, because when you love someone you don’t think whether he or she is lesbian, gay, or straight. Everything felt normal, just like the first time I kissed a man.