MANILA – Angelica Panganiban has done a lot of films throughout her career, but the actress admitted she faced a different kind of challenge when she did voice acting in her first-ever animation film.
As announced last month, Panganiban is the voice behind Nimfa, the lead character in the adult-animation movie “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story,” which also stars Robin Padilla and Sam Milby.
“Mahirap siya kasi parang kulang ka sa tools. Parang wala kang facial expression, hindi tumutulo 'yung luha mo. Very challenging kung paano mo mapaparating sa audience kung ano talaga ang nararamdaman ng character,” Panganiban said during a virtual interview on Monday.
The same thing goes for building chemistry with her co-stars. Luckily, Panganiban said their director Avid Liongren had a way to address this.
“Kapag mahihirap 'yung mga scenes, ginagawa talaga ni direk na magkakasama kami nila Sam. Naging malaking tulong siya kasi talagang naririnig mo kung paano niya dine-deliver and sumasagot ka. Iba siya dun sa ikaw lang talaga mag-isa 'yung nagsasalita buong araw,” she said.
Although she is new to voice acting, Panganiban said immersing into her role just happened naturally.
“Same thing lang siguro pagdating dun sa ginagawa ko na. May tawag nga sa akin 'yung mga nakakatrabaho ko. Para daw akong diesel. Sa umpisa, parang lagi akong nangangapa and habang tumatagal, doon pa lang umiinit. Ganun din naman 'yung nangyaring experience sa akin nung umpisa lalong lalo na dito dahil wala akong alam sa mundo ng animation. Tinake ko na lang siya as a challenge,” she said.
Panganiban said she allowed Liongren to guide her so she would be able to bring to life how the movie’s creators envisioned her character.
“Of course, sa lahat ng challenge, kailangan mo siyang i-enjoy. And talagang hinayaan ko lang si direk maging director, i-guide niya talaga ako sa kung ano 'yung kailangan kong gawin, paano ba ang ide-deliver. Of course meron siyang sarili niyang vision for the film. Kailangan masakyan ko 'yun para maitawid ko 'yung pelikula. Hindi naman ako napabayaan. Hinayaan din naman niya ako mag-take time para magawa ko yung character ni Nimfa,” she said.
All other factors of voice acting aside, Panganiban said Nimfa was not hard to portray because she is a very relatable character.
“Actually hindi naman malayo sa akin si Nimfa though never lang akong nakapag-cheat pa at ayaw ko naman siyang achieve-in. Ayaw kong makapanakit. Siguro wala naman akong nakikitang mali sa personality ni Nimfa kasi lahat tayo ‘di ba may mga pangarap along the way na gusto ko rin naman ng ganito or ganyan. Iyon siguro, naiintindihan ko 'yung character niya and 'yung proseso para matuto siya,” she said.
“Ganun naman talaga sa life ‘di ba? You learn the hard way. I’m sure ganun ako nung kabataan ko. I’m sure ang dami ko ring ginawang mga kalokohan para maabot ko kung nasaan ako ngayon. I’m sure marami pa akong kailangan din matutunan sa life. Hindi naman ako perpekto. Naka-relate ako sa kanya,” she added.
Based on its official synopsis from Netflix, “Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story” follows Nimfa (Panganiban), the pretty pussycat is a perfume sales kitty at a department store. Her boyfriend Roger (Padilla), the macho mongrel, is a janitor. Nimfa meets Iñigo Villanueva (Milby), a business dog, and their chemistry ignites.
The rest of the movie will show if Nimfa and Roger’s love will keep them together or if Iñigo’s high society charms will tear them apart.
“Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story” is the first animated Netflix film from the Philippines. The adult-animation film is set to premiere in the streaming platform on the October 29.
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