“In fairness to Vice, napakagaling niya talaga sa movie,” he says. “In his movies before, hindi siya umaarte. Sinasabi nga niyang comedy host lang siya. But this time, kinareer niya talaga kasi he plays four different roles at naitawid niya yun ng maayos. Iisipin mo talagang apat na magkakaibang tao siya. Binago niya pati boses ng bawat isa. Pinakagusto ko sa lahat, yung tomboy. Nakakatawa talaga.”
This early, he’s already preparing his filmfest entry for next year, 2014. It will star Gov. Vilma Santos and Ai Ai de las Alas in a touching and comic story of a boss and a housemaid and how their positions are reversed several years later. “Sa una, si Ate Vi ang boss at si Ai Ai ang maid. Pero magkakaiba ang kapalaran nila at si Ai Ai naman ang magiging boss at si Ate Vi ang maid. Ang ganda ng concept at ngayon pa lang, excited na akong gawin na ito.”
Is he disappointed that “Bekikang” starring Joey Paras didn’t do so well at the box office? “That’s not true. Sa umpisa pa lang, sinabi na sa’kin ni Boss Vic del Rosario na huwag mag-expect na maging kamukha ang box office take nito sa ‘Praybeyt Benjamin’ o ‘Petrang Kabayo’. At dahil maliit lang ang budget nito, tinapos namin in only ten days, bawing-bawi na rito ang Viva sa video, cable and TV rights pa lang. Kaya huwag kayong magtaka kung may sequel ang ‘Bekikang’.”
On TV, he’s now directing ‘Galema’ at ABS-CBN’s afternoon block. Is it true he’s having problems with Derrick Hubalde who just can’t act convincingly as Zuma? “Inaudition namin siya and we thought he’d improve as the taping goes on. Pero hanggang ngayon, ganun pa rin. Hindi makatanda ng dialogue kahit dalawang linya lang. Pinag-workshop na namin at ikinuha na namin ng acting coach para alagaan ang acting niya sa set.”
After his bout pneumonia some weeks ago, Direk Wenn went on a healthy diet and from 172 lbs., he now weighs 150 so he really looks slimmer. Did you know that he used to be a waiter in a big restaurant near the office of a top film company in the 80s? He has so many funny stories about celebrities he encountered while serving them, most of them being mean to him. Little did they know, he’d be a top director some day. This includes a comedian-host on whom he performed an act of “revenge”, another comedian who has since become a top politician, and a love team who was so lovey dovey then but have since broken up after having several children.
