MANILA - ABS-CBN Films managing director Olivia Lamasan has revealed that the blockbuster movie “Hello, Love, Goodbye” was supposedly a project for Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil.
Lamasan made the revelation in an interview with Toni Gonzaga for the actress’ vlog series, where she also disclosed how the film’s concept and storyline came about.
“Yung ‘Hello, Love,Goodbye’ originally LizQuen iyan eh. And then it became Kathryn (Bernardo) and DJ (Daniel Padilla) and then Kathryn and Alden (Richards),” she said.
Lamasan said the reason they had to pick other actors for the project was because Soberano was busy gearing up for “Darna” at that time.
“LizQuen iyan but Liza was doing Darna at that time so we gathered. I gathered the creatives, isip-isip tayo. Wala rin ano. Tapos patayo na ako, biglang [lightbulb moment], ‘What’s our next 'Milan'? What’s our next 'Anak'? What’s our next OFW story? What if there’s this girl goes to Hong Kong blah blah blah.’ Tapos nagsisisigaw na si Carmi, nagdugtong dugtong na, nabuo na namin ang kuwento. That’s it.”
Released in 2019, the OFW drama was seen as a landmark project in local showbiz, as it brought together Bernardo and Richards -- two big stars from competing networks -- who are each identified with an established love team.
Aside from fetching acting nods for Richards and Bernardo, “Hello, Love, Goodbye” also became the highest grossing Philippine film of all time, with global ticket sales of over P880 million.
Crediting one of the film’s inspirations to a “message from above” that she got, Lamasan said: “Meron akong mga ganyan. Minsan may mga divine inspiration na bigla lang pumapasok, concepts, stories, bigla lang pumapasok. Sometimes, I would have those under the shower, biglang may concept. Or minsan kapag nakikipag-usap ako, bigla lang pak, 'yun na.”
Aside from producing “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” Lamasan is also known for directing films such as “Madrasta,” “Milan,” “Sana Maulit Muli,” “In the Name of Love,” and “Starting Over Again.”