Bela Padilla was supposed to make her directorial debut in the romantic-tragedy, “366,” with Liza Soberano originally as the choice for lead actress. Piolo Pascual was even the first choice for the leading man.

However, the pandemic happened and Padilla’s plans changed in a major way.

“I required Liza Soberano for this,” Padilla Padilla told ABS-CBN News. “I even came to a point where I asked for her schedule already. She was doing a TV show at that time. I think it was ‘Make It With You.’

Although Padilla wrote the script of “366” and decided to direct it later, she was tasked to also star in it when Soberano failed to give her nod to the project.

“The film, ‘366,’ wasn’t meant for me,” Padilla said. “I didn’t want to act in it because I was told I was going to direct it, so I wanted another actress to be in it.

“When the pandemic started, a lot of actors didn’t want to work. Mahirap naman na biglang sasabak sa bubble, sa shooting life. Hindi ko pinilit ang original vision ko for this film.

“When Boss Vic (del Rosario of Viva) and Boss Vincent (del Rosario) said, ‘Ikaw na rin ang gumawa ng project na ‘to,’ I didn’t think twice. The last four to five years, there were already many people who were telling me to direct already.

“I guess, in a sense, hindi ko pa siya gustong gawin noong unang sinabi sa akin. Ang dami pang dumadating na blessings. May mga pelikula pa at TV shows na ina-assign sa akin. Siyempre, more than anything, I’m still an actress before I am a writer or a director.

“Lagi kong inuuna ang mga binibigay sa akin na acting assignments. But when the pandemic started, doon ko lang talaga siya napag-isipan ng seryoso. Bakit nga hindi?

“Obviously, marami tayong mga kasama sa industry na walang trabaho. Naisip namin to start shooting even this pandemic.”

With Soberano no longer the lead female star, Padilla had to do major revisions to the script. “Originally, I wanted ‘366’ to be shot in Budapest, Hungary. Ninety percent of the film was supposed to be shot in Budapest. I had to change that.

“Lumipat kami sa Turkey. It was one of the free countries that allowed visitors and filmmakers to shoot. It was just a blessing in disguise. If you saw the trailer, very cinematic ang Turkey.

“Napaka-virtually pleasing naman when we shot in Turkey. We were very lucky to shoot on the months that we did. Ang ganda-ganda. We shot in Cappadocia.”

Padilla admitted that having her as a star definitely brought a different touch to the film. “I wouldn’t say better, but it’s definitely different,” she said. “I am older than Liza. I guess my interpretation of grief and love are different.

“Liza and I are in different stages in our lives. I gave a different interpretation and performance than she would have given. I still love to work with her, though. Maybe one day, that will still happen.

“I do believe whoever ends up with the project is the one meant to be for the project. This has happened to me so many times. This is not a secret. ‘100 Tula Para Kay Stella’ wasn’t meant for me, but now, it’s one of the films I really love. Whoever ended up doing the project, it is really meant for them.”

First script

The first full script that Padilla wrote was Martin Rey Aviles’ “Coming Soon” (2011), starring Andi Eigenmann, Glaiza de Castro, Boy2 Quizon and Cholo Barretto. When the film was released, Padilla requested that her full name would be used in the credits.

“They credited me as Krista Sullivan instead of Bela Padilla,” she granted. “I guess back then, I wanted writing to be a totally separate entity from my acting career or my life.

“After that, I still continued writing concepts and stories. I co-wrote ‘10,000 Hours’ [with Neil Arce, Peter Serrano and director Joyce Bernal] in 2013. That was when I took writing seriously.

“Nakita ko that we can give the public and we can present stories that are the not the usual formulaic stories we were used to seeing. Because of ‘10,000 Hours,’ I had the confidence to write and really use my voice.”

Subsequently, Padilla was given opportunities by her bosses at ABS-CBN and Viva. “They pushed me to really start telling my stories,” Padilla said. “With ABS-CBN, Ma’am Charo [Santos], Tita Malou [Santos] and Viva, Boss Vic and Boss Vincent, they asked me to constantly pitch stories.”

Director Irene Villamor’s comedy-drama. “Camp Sawi” (2016), was Padilla’s concept. She starred in the film with Eigenmann, Yassi Pressman, Arci Munoz, Kim Molina and Sam Milby.

Padilla also wrote Dan Villegas’ “Luck at First Sight” (2017), followed by “Last Night” (2017), starring Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga, and James Robin Mayo’s “Apple of My Eye” (2019) for Dreamscape and iWantTV.

Padilla based the story of “366” after she heard about the fate of a Filipino girl who coped with grief and loss while in Maldives back in 2018, when the actress went on a holiday with a female friend.

“Tumatak siya sa akin when I went home in December 2018,” Padilla recalled. “I was about to start taping for ‘Sino ang May Sala.’ I told Direk Dan Villegas about what happened in Maldives and he said, ‘Why not turn this into a film? This is something you can explore.’

“I started writing the story in 2019 and finished half of it,” she continued. “Then I got busy. I shot ‘Sino ang May Sala,’ ‘On Vodka, Beers and Regrets’ and ‘Mañanita. I left ‘366’ hanging.

“After I finished the three other projects, tinuloy ko na at sineryoso ang ‘366.’ I think I completed writing ‘366’ in 2019.”

Padilla was apparently looking to release “366” in cinemas on February 8. However, with the disappointing results of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December, Padilla was convinced it was not time yet to do a big screen release for any forthcoming film.

“Then nag-Omicron surge,” she lamented. “Internally, it was decided it might not be the smartest choice to have a cinematic release now.”

Bela as director

While they were filming “366,” Padilla strongly made it imperative that everyone, both cast and crew, should project good vibes on and off the set. That was how she motivated her cast.

“Personally, I don’t think I’m a strict director,” Padilla admitted. “Day one namin sa ‘366,’ I made a rule. I told them gusto ko good vibes lang. Naka bubble kami. Kahit pandemic, kami-kami lang ang magkakasama ng ilang lingo.

“Mahirap ‘pag may isa sa amin na malungkot. Kung meron mang bad trip, I told them to just leave the set even for five minutes. Basta gusto ko, good vibes lang. Nag-transcend siya sa pagdi-direct ko. I don’t think I gave anyone a hard time. Chill lang kami.”

On the first day of their shoot, Padilla only had Zanjoe Marudo to work on a scene. “Sa sobrang kaba ko siguro or talagang naninibago ako, nakalimutan kong sumigaw ng ‘Sound’ and ‘Camera.’ I went straight to action na hindi nag roll ang sound and camera

“Kung artista ka, ang hinihintay mo lang palagi ‘yung action, hindi mo na hinihintay ang ‘Sound’ at ‘Camera.’ Dapat in the zone ka na. But as a director, kailangan mo siyang isigaw. I had that moment.

“I quickly realized, Oo nga pala. Hindi lang ako actress on the set today. We had to repeat that take and I had to say ‘Sound’ and ‘Camera.’ Nagtawanan sila. I felt super rattled. Tumawa lang din ako, pero hindi nila alam kabadong kabado ako."

Life in London

Now based in London, where she uprooted last year, Padilla is set to return to Manila this April to promote “366” with her male co-stars JC Santos and Marudo.

“I still need to continue the shoot of ‘Spellbound’ with Marco Gumabao,” Padilla disclosed. “Naabutan kami ng pandemic while we were shooting that. But London will still be my home base.”

Padilla has been enjoying her life in a new place that she came to love. The last 365 days had been good for the 30-year-old actress and she is truly very thankful.

“I am enjoying London and I’m having fun here,” she granted. “Back to basics ako ngayon kasi wala akong kasama. Nawala lahat ng mga bagay that made me feel comfortable sa Pilipinas.

“Walang akong car, hindi ako marunong mag drive sa right side. I don’t want to try or attempt. Wala akong driver dito. Wala akong assistant. Lahat ako muna ang gumagawa but I’m enjoying it.

“I have always been quite independent. This complete alone-ness is new to me but I’m liking it.”

“In the song, ‘You’ll be Safe Here,’ may isang line, ‘The universe conspired.’ I think, this year, the universe really conspired for me to be happy and complete as s person."

At present, Padilla has a Swiss-Italian boyfriend, Norman Ben Bay, who’s based in Zurich, Switzerland. They celebrated their second anniversary on February 22, 2022 (2-22-2022)

“I was able to achieve so many firsts in my life. Aside from ‘366,’ which is my directorial debut, I was able to move to London and figure out for myself the things I want to do in the next few years," she said.

“I think that’s a big blessing for me because I did everything during this pandemic. That’s why I’m very, very thankful.”