After years of anticipation, the wait is finally over. For Enrique Gil, seeing A Secret in Prague come to life feels almost surreal, but the journey to the screen was anything but simple. While Enrique was grappling with the disbelief of the project finally moving forward, his co-star Andrea Brillantes was grappling with a much colder reality: her first-ever encounter with snow. From long-held dreams to snowball fights in the freezing cold, the duo shares what it was really like to bring this mystery to life.
Photo credit to Media.Xchange
Photo credit to Media.Xchange
Enrique Gil’s reaction on doing ‘A Secret in Prague’ with Andrea Brillantes
“Super, super happy ako, super excited, because you know, it’s been going for a couple of years na, ‘yung project na ‘to. And for us to finally start, all hands on deck, especially with these wonderful cast, parang hindi totoo. Alam mo ‘yun? Sa sobrang tagal kasi parang hanggang ngayon it doesn’t feel real. I’m just really thankful, grateful, for everybody responsible for this show, for making it happen. I’m just really, really thankful.”
Andrea Brillantes on the challenges of taking the role of Chiara in ‘A Secret in Prague’
“I think ‘yung pinaka-challenge para sa akin is first time ko makakita ng snow that time, first time ko ma-experience ang snow. And nung una, excited na excited pa ako. Unang una kong ginawa, binato ko ng snowball si Quen (Enrique), kasi never ko pa ‘yun nagagawa. Tapos siyempre, na-excite ako, tapos nung nagfi-film na kami, pa-gabi na, hindi na ako excited. Nahihirapan na ako magsalita. Parehas kami (ni Enrique) na nabubulol na. Nanginginig na kami sa lamig. Ang ginagawa ko, parang nagba-boxing kami kapag malamig para uminit ‘yung katawan namin. ‘Yun ang naging challenge for me. Hindi ako ganoon kahanda pero okay lang.”
How was it like to direct the ensemble of ‘A Secret in Prague’ and shooting the series in Prague?
“Actually, hindi ako kasama sa Prague, it was my partner, Barry, so hindi ko na-experience. Pero speaking from a director’s point of view, parang pamilya itong set, it’s very light. You look forward every taping day. So, hindi siya mabigat. Plus, our material, sobrang light lang niya sundan pero when it becomes serious, seryoso. Parang Pinoy talaga na kapag nagse-seryoso ka, biglang babali ng comedy. With the ensemble na kasama namin, very masarap magtrabaho. They’re all thinking actors. We’re very blessed to have a cast like them. May input sila. Collaboration ito,” shares director Paco Sta. Maria.
The story follows Mikoy (Enrique Gil), a devoted brother who migrates to Prague to give his family a better future. His journey takes a dangerous turn when he is recruited by a secret organization to spy on Chiara (Andrea Brillantes), the fierce and fearless daughter of a mafia boss.
Co-produced by Slingshot Studios (where Enrique is also a partner), written by Mark Duane Angos, and directed by Barry Gonzales and Paco Sta. Maria, A Secret in Prague airs Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 PM after Frontline Pilipinas.