Trading her familiar wholesome image, Barbie Forteza takes on the “wildest” and most liberating role of her career in Regal Entertainment’s upcoming comedy “Saving Cherry.”
It follows Cherry (Forteza), a conservative woman who is saving her virginity for her wedding night until she discovers that her fiancé, Jude (Khalil Ramos), has been unfaithful. Instead of falling apart, she sets off on a chaotic road trip with her bridesmaids and wedding planner, hoping to take back control of her life while Jude tries to win her forgiveness.
The film also stars Mika Salamanca, Mikee Quintos, AC Bonifacio, Sassa Gurl and JC Alcantara. It is directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal.
For Forteza, Cherry is unlike any character she has portrayed.
“She’s the wildest and most freeing, I think, for me. I thank director Ivan for everything. Not just the role, but the freedom of approaching every scene. He gave us all the freedom to understand every scene in our own way, and he listened to us. He is a really good captain, and we all thank him,” Forteza said during the film’s media conference.
The actress said the role challenged her to explore a side of herself audiences have yet to see.
“I just unleashed my wild side. Actually, it’s fun because, let’s admit it, not everyone is kind. I didn’t expect that I also have that side. But she’s wild for a reason. There’s depth to her story, and so far, this is my most natural role. We’ll be tackling marriage and so many things that happen after that, and I hope everyone joins us on that journey,” she said.
Building on-screen chemistry
While the film’s premise centers on betrayal and an unconventional quest for self-discovery, Forteza said it also tackles the friendship between Cherry and her support system — Beth (Quintos), Jewel (Salamanca), Ingrid (Bonifacio) and Martha (Sassa Gurl).
To help build authentic chemistry, Forteza organized gatherings with her co-stars even before filming began.
“I think that really helped with our rapport on screen. I didn’t feel shy touching their faces or doing ad-libs in the middle of a scene because we became really close. That’s just one of the stories, but all those hangouts helped build our friendship, and I think audiences will really feel that when they watch the movie,” she said.
The bond between the actresses eventually grew beyond the production itself.
“There was one time during taping that I was going through something. My plan was just to finish work, go home and cry it out. But they told me, ‘No, let’s all hang out.’ Eventually, I opened up about what I was going through, and we all ended up crying together. It became one of my best memories during the movie because I realized this was my first true friendship on a movie set. We became comfortable not just with each other but with the entire production,” Forteza recalled.
Salamanca said the cast’s genuine friendship translated naturally onscreen.
“Our emotions are real because we’ve been through a lot off-cam. The foundation of our friendship, you’ll really see in the movie,” she said.
Top choice for lead
Director Ivan Andrew Payawal said Forteza was always his first choice for the lead role.
“When JP called me and asked if Barbie was okay for the role, I immediately said, ‘Game.’ She was really top of mind while I was writing Cherry. Then when she accepted, I became even more excited because I knew she could bring exactly what I envisioned for the character,” he said.
Ramos, meanwhile, said portraying the remorseful Jude proved challenging because he often had to suppress his laughter while filming alongside the cast’s improvisations.
“The biggest challenge for me was not laughing. Direk gave them the freedom to unleash whatever they wanted, so there were so many moments when they became completely unhinged during takes. But watching them become genuinely close while shooting made everything feel authentic. When you see them together in the movie, you’ll really believe they’re a tight-knit group of friends because that’s exactly what happened off-camera,” Ramos said.
Although packed with outrageous comedy, “Saving Cherry” ultimately explores moving on after betrayal, embracing one’s independence and finding strength in friendships.
“Saving Cherry” opens in cinemas nationwide on Sept. 2.