WITH millions of followers across different social media platforms (11.4million on Instagram, 3.2 million on Facebook, and 1.27 million subscribers on YouTube), Julia Barretto seems to be on top of her game. At 26, she is a household name and this is something she’s worked hard for.
Julia sees her new movie Will You Be My Ex? as her romcom and drama homecoming of sorts after playing a daring role in Expensive Candy.
“The character asked so much of me. Chris [the character Barretto plays] is a theater actress. She can be a lot. I see doing Will You Be My Ex? as coming home after Expensive Candy. It was exciting because it’s a romcom but it also has drama, which I love very much, and I love that the romance is realistic,” said Julia during the press conference for Will You Be My Ex? The movie, a Studio Viva and Firestarters production presented by Viva Films and directed by Real Florido, will open in cinemas on June 21.
“I have known Diegs [Diego Loyzaga] for a long time so this was sort of a reunion. The last time we worked together apparently was Wansapanataym, which was in 2014. Because I have known him for a long time, there was no awkwardness. It was always a safe space sa set,” said Julia, who had just come from Italy to attend an event for Golden Goose.
To prepare for her role as a theater actress in the movie, Julia engaged in conversations and attended workshops.
“In my last movie [Expensive Candy], I was very open in how I got in Candy’s shoes. With this role, I think it was a lot of me being in a lot of workshops with Diegs and talking with a lot of our creatives, especially our director [Real Florido] because this film is about two people tackling pain from their past. We really needed to look at the past and present of Chris and Joey. There were no physical preparations required for this role, unlike in the current movie I’m doing. This one was more about conversations and creating the background of my character. There were a lot of conversations with the creatives.”
She also worked with stage actors Divine Aucina and Juan Carlos Galano, and this was a big help as she immersed herself in the role of Chris. She asked them questions about being onstage, such as how to breathe properly and how to warm up before a performance.
In Will You Be My Ex?, ex-lovers Chris and Joey meet once again and get the chance to rekindle their past and choose to either be friends or give their love a second try.
Aside from being busy with work, Julia also finds time for her passion project—an online store called The Juju Club, which sells bikinis, accessories and many other things you think you don’t need but actually do. “I just love shops that have everything that you need. With The Juju Club, I want it to be a one-stop shop where you can get everything that you need for vacations and trips,” said Julia.
Most days, when she isn’t working, the young actress stays home.
“I’m a taong-bahay. My favorite place is my bed. It is my safe space but when I’m home, I love cleaning and rearranging. I got it from my mom. Sometimes, I see my friends but there’s no place like home.”
Image credits: Dinna Chan Vasquez