Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin Talk About Daring Love Scene In "Love Me Again"

The highlight of the trailer of Love Me Again: Land Down Under is the passionate love scene between Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual. In fact, when the camera zoomed in on Piolo's chiseled abs, cheers erupted among members of the media who attended the press conference of Love Me Again: Land Down Under. The event took place last Saturday, December 20, at Annabel's Tomas Morato.

Director Rory Quintos said that a lot of people have expressed their appreciation for Piolo's masculine physique. Fans who watched the trailer last week during the premiere night of Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat as well as moviegoers who attended the world premiere of Love Me Again in the United States also cheered during the said portion of the trailer. The female director said that Piolo deserved the credit since she knows how hard the matinee idol works out to maintain his figure.

She also revealed that the love scene to be shown in the film is not the version that she wanted. "Personally, medyo masama ang loob ko kasi may two scenes na na-edit out. Star Cinema said that it was too much."

TOO DARING LOVE SCENE? Did Piolo and Angel think that the love scene was too much? Piolo responded by saying, "Ako kasi I trust our director. We did what we had to do...Hectic yung araw na yun. There were a lot of shots and she did not make us do anything awkward or anything that would make us uncomfortable."

Angel pointed out, "Bago pa po namin gawin yung pelikula, nabasa ko na yung script at pinaghandaan ko na. Akala ko ready na ko pero dahil trabaho yung gagawin ko, may konting nerbiyos pa rin. Siyempre, nagtiwala ako sa director ko. First time kong ginawa ang ganito, sobrang thankful ako kay Piolo dahil nawala ang nerbiyos ko. Nung bandang huli, mas confident pa ako kaysa sa kanya."

ON BUKIDNON AND AUSTRALIA. Key scenes of the movie were shot in areas where cowboys live, namely in Bukidnon and Australia. Direk Rory pointed out that their location in the Land Down Under was about three hours away from the nearest grocery store.

"Napakaganda po tagala ng Bukidnon," describes Angel. "Para sa akin iba pa rin ang ganda ng Pilipinas. Ang daming lugar dito sa Pilipinas na di pa natin nadi-discover na naa-appreciate natin. Kami ni Piolo nang malaman namin na tapos na kami sa Bukidnon, ayaw pa naming umalis. Iba yung mga taong nakasama namin dun, may simpleng buhay, walang pressure."

As for Australia, Piolo says that their chosen location was a sleepy town that was very remote. "While shooting in the northern territory of Australia, one might say it's boring because it's very barren and very plain. Very rural siya, unlike sa Bukidnon, konting lingon mo lang, ang dami mo nang taong makikita. Sa Australia, acres and acres of barren land so kung wala kang kasama, baka ma-bore ka."

This movie marks the return of Direk Rory to filmmaking after a three-year gap. Her last film was Dubai, which starred Aga Muhlach, Claudine Barretto, and John Lloyd Cruz. Love Me Again is the culmination of the 15th anniversary celebration of Star Cinema.

SYNOPSIS. Arah (Angel Locsin) dreams of a better life-different from the life she knows in Bukidnon. Ranches everywhere are closing one by one. The glory her hometown once knew was slowly disappearing in favour of life abroad, particularly in Australia. Arah believes this too. Australia will save them from poverty. But Arah's first love, Migo (Piolo Pascual), does not share this belief. He believes that Bukidnon's glory will return if only people didn't leave.

When Arah's father suddenly encounters an accident, Arah is left with no choice but to seek better opportunities to earn money. Arah, in desperation accepts money from the Australian rancher Brian in exchange for a contract. Her decision breaks Migo's heart. The two part ways, their problems unresolved.

With the help of her co-workers, especially her new found frined, Ina (a Filipina working there as a cook), Arah slowly adjusted to the life in Australia. She is willing to hold her ground and tough it up along with the boys just to fulfill her dreams for herself and her family. It was this determination that caught the attention of the cold and mysterious Brian.

Meanwhile, Migo was experiencing his own dose of reality. Bukidnon is not what it used to be. And fighting to keep a ranch alive and working is something he cannot do without enough experience. Despite his enthusiasm and hard work, his investments crumble slowly until he is left with nothing but a humbling realization—there is money in Australia, but his dreams shouldn't really end there. Migo decides to give the land down under a try. With fierce hopes of earning back what he lost, he flies to Australia, to the land where his beloved Arah went when she left him for her dreams.

Suddenly, Migo's presence at the ranch is making Arah suspicious. It's been years—why is he suddenly there? But destiny has other plans for the two. By a simple twist of fate, the two are thrown together on an errand. The close proximity forces the two to confront their past. And undeniably, their feelings for each other resurface.

Will Arah let Migo in her heart again or will she let him go completely for the sake of Brian and her family? And will Migo find the courage to fight for her or learn to accept that he has lost her forever?

Love Me Again: Land Down Under opens in 150 Philippine theaters starting January 15, 2009.

~Jocelyn Dimaculangan