KATORSE ISINILANG NA!

tar Circle Quest Season 2 Grand Questor Erich Gonzales gets her biggest break yet as she plays the lead role in the upcoming Your Song Presents Katorse. The new chapter of the popular weekly drama series is based on the ‘80s film by director Joey Gosiengfiao which starred Dina Bonnevie. Erich exclusively spoke with ABS-CBN.com during the ABS-CBN Trade Launch on April 30 where she shared her overwhelming joy for having been given the chance to finally play a lead role. “Nung una sinabi ko, ‘What?! Me?!’ kasi sa dami ng artista ngayon I’m was very happy to know na napili nila ako. I’m very grateful and I feel so blessed. Sobrang kaba at pressure ‘yung nararamdaman ko. Pero lagi ko na lang sinasabi sa sarili ko na I will do my best. Siyempre hindi pa rin naaalis ‘yung kaba. I think it’s just normal (laughs). Napanood ko din ‘yung movie and I must say sobrang ganda talaga ng kwento.”

Erich further said that viewers will get to see a different side of her in Katorse. Compared to the teenybopper roles that she had done with the past, Erich will show more skin in this new mini-series. “May mga scenes kasi na naka-kamison at tumatakbo sa beach kaya hinay muna ako sa pagkain ngayon para hindi tumaba (laughs). Revealing ‘yung ilang clothes. Sexy pero nasa lugar pa rin naman. Like maraming eksena na nasa beach so alangan namang mag-gown ka. I’m ready to dress up sexy naman for as long as maganda ‘yung story na gagawin ko.”

The 19-year-old star will have not just one but two new leading men in the person of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus Big Winner Ejay Falcon and model-athlete Xian Lim. “Nung una nagkakailangan pa kami nina Ejay and Xian pero dahil sa workshop naging okay naman kami lahat. This is my first time to be working with them and nakatulong ‘yung workshop para maalis ‘yung hiya namin. Sa workshop namin naging super close kaming tatlo. Excited kami to work kaya kapag nasa set na concentrate kami sa gagawin namin. We take our work seriously. Also ‘yung director namin lagi kaming inaalalayan sa bawat eksena na kukunan namin kaya mas nagiging madali,” said Erich.

Erich also confessed that she was very nervous when she rehearsed her kissing scene with Ejay. “May mga kissing scenes kami ni Ejay. Siya ‘yung gaganap na Gabby Concepcion (who was in the original movie). Sa workshop tinuruan pa kami kung paano mag-kiss because I don’t know how to kiss (laughs). Sa workshop namin sabi ni Ms. Gina Alajar, ‘Bakit ka ganyan humalik? Softer pa dapat!’ Hindi ko talaga alam ang gagawin ko kaya sabi ko kay Ejay, ‘Ikaw na bahala!’ e hindi rin niya alam kung paanong halik ang gagawin kaya ‘bahala na’ talaga. Pero naging okay naman ‘yung isang eksenang ginawa namin na may kiss.” When asked if Katorse will be the beginning of more sexy portrayals, Erich only answered, “I don’t know. Let’s see (laughs). I’ll take it one step at a time muna.”

Katorse follows the story of 14-year-old Nene who had to learn the important lessons in life in a hard way. Erich told ABS-CBN.com that the real challenge for her was to portray a character who is very different from her real personality. However, she also found some similarities between Nene and herself back when she was the same age. “‘Yung mga pagdadaanan ni Nene parang wala pang ganung nangyayari sa buhay ko kaya big challenge talaga sa akin na gampanan ‘yung character. Si Nene super innocent siya kaya parang walang siyang alam sa mundo. Like hindi niya maintindihan kung ano ‘yung menstruation, akala niya sugat. Kaya nung na-in love siya binigay niya lahat kaya nabuntis siya. At the age of 14 hindi niya pa alam kung ano ang dapat gawin. Dun nagsimula ‘yung kakaiba niyang experience. Ang dami niyang pinagdaanan. Para sa isang katorse anyos na babae sobra ‘yung pinagdaanan ni Nene. Nung 14 naman ako sumali na ako ng Star Circle Quest. Para sa akin naman ‘yung ang life-turning moment ko. Nagsimula na ‘yung mga bagong experiences ko sa buhay at ang dami kong natutunan ever since.”