IN Ned’s Project, Cine Filipino 2017’s Best Film winner, a young woman, fresh from heartache, strikes a different kind of friendship with the town’s resident lesbian tattoo artist Ned, played by the always amazing Angeli Bayani.
There is a scene when the young woman, a rebel at heart, tells the tattoo artist about wanting to have a butterfly inked on her back because like the winged creature, she, too, wants to break free and fly. There’s something about the delivery, the sudden pause, and the profound vulnerability peeking through that makes that particular scene utterly bewitching.
The actress we’re talking about is Max Eigenmann, perhaps the most low profile of the Eigenmann celebrities of the local entertainment scene. Max is the darling daughter of the late great actor Mark Gil with former beauty queen-turned-actress Bing Pimentel.
She is sister to the award-winning Sid Lucero, half-sister to Andi and Gabby Eigenmann, first cousin to Ryan and Geoff Eigenmann, and niece to Cherie Gil and Michael de Mesa.
A spunky mestiza, Max first impressed in an old TV5 youth-oriented series, titled Lipgloss. She has since appeared in a few TV shows and a number of movies, mostly independently produced. She bagged a lead role in the 2017 QCinema Film Festival entry Kulay Lila ang Gabi na Binudburan Pa ng mga Bituin, and another good role in the Richard Somes film Historiographika Errata. Both performances received good notices from critics and film audiences alike.
Max memorably played interesting characters in Erik Matti’s Rigodon, Adolfo Alix’s Romeo and Juliet, and Giancarlo Abrahan’s Dagitab.
Off-cam, the actress’s most striking qualities are her being grounded and compassionate toward others. One quick browse through her social-media accounts and we’ll see her great love for her two young sons. But beyond being a loving young mom, Max gives weight to loyalty and good-heartedness. One particular post talks about a househelp whose house was gutted down by fire.
Without being asked, Max started a little crusade asking her friends to donate whatever they could to the poor woman, whose family has had to grapple with tragedy.
Perhaps this is what makes Max Eigenmann a cut above the rest. She’s not some typical starlet who would pull off outrageous stunts in public to catch attention. That isn’t her thing. Max would rather wait for the next acting challenge to come her way, work hard on it and amaze film fans with her sterling qualities as a performer.
Max enjoyed working on the set of filmmaker Richard Somes for the action-packed thriller We Will Not Die Tonight, pitting acting skills with the likes of Erich Gonzales, Jess Mendoza, Paolo Paraiso, Rino Marco and former child actress Sarah Abad.
“Direk Richard is a good friend of my late dad, and I’m so happy to get the chance to work with him and know him better. It’s an out-of-the-box kind of film that we’re truly proud of,” she enthused.
The 30-year-old actress has also wrapped up work for a project that internationally recognized filmmaker Brillante Mendoza is overseeing, a film that is targeting a world premiere in a prestigious international festival this year. “I can’t divulge any specific details yet, except that it’s perhaps the most physically challenging and emotionally draining role I’ve ever done. I’m so thankful that I bagged the coveted role, and I’m positive the film will make ripples in the international film community.”
Max is also set to work on another movie this summer, an entry to one of the local film festivals.
“It’s not a big role, but it is a very important role. Plus, I get to act with award-winning actors that I respect. It’s also my first time with the filmmaker that I have heard so many good things about. I’m really excited.”
When good things happen to good people like Max Eigenmann, it is always worth rejoicing about.
Recently, Max was launched as the brand ambassador of Bayad Center Mobile App at a hotel in Ortigas. Max will serve as the brand’s online and offline persona, and will be portraying Judith—a pun on the term “due date.” “I want to be there every step of the way, helping the public manage their finances and make everyday transactions easier and more convenient, because that’s what the Bayad Center Mobile App is all about: it makes bills payment hassle-free.”
Max Eigenmann still has a long way to go and more nuanced performances to offer in the years to come. It will be exciting to see her soar one day soon, which she deserves. This young woman, full of vitality and positivity, is the kind of new breed of stars the industry can do well with.