Lance Joseph Martinez

The Many Faces of Motherhood: ‘Call Me Mother’ Stars Pay Tribute to Their Industry Mothers

Article (news)

<p>This <strong></strong>Christmas<strong></strong>, expect an emotional roller-coaster in cinemas as <strong>Vice Ganda</strong> and <strong>Nadine Lustre </strong>reunite on screen after a decade for the <strong>Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025 </strong>official entry, <strong><em>Call Me Mother.</em></strong> The film marks their first team-up in 10 years, promising heartwarming moments perfect for the holiday season.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160784560Call Me Mother official poster 2.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">The 2nd official poster of &#x27;Call Me Mother&#x27; | Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Opening in Philippine cinemas on <strong>December 25</strong>, the <strong>Jun Robles Lana</strong>–directed movie tackles unconditional love, commitment, and sacrifice through the story of motherhood, aiming to bring both laughter and tears to Filipino families this Christmas.</p><p><em>Call Me Mother</em><em></em><strong><em></em></strong> follows <strong>Twinkle</strong> (Vice Ganda), a queer mom planning a life-changing surprise for her adoptive son <strong>Angelo</strong> (<strong>Lucas Andalio</strong>) by finalizing his adoption—only if no one claims him within three months. Their quiet life suddenly takes a turn when <strong>Mara</strong> (Nadine Lustre) enters the picture, shaking up what could’ve been a perfect holiday.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160842858The cast of Call Me Mother 2.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">The cast of &#x27;Call Me Mother&#x27; during their grand media conference | Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Vice and Nadine first worked together in the 2010 comedy film <strong><em>Petrang Kabayo</em></strong>, where Nadine played the comedian’s assistant. They reunited five years later in the 2015 MMFF entry <strong><em>Beauty and the Bestie, </em></strong>where they portrayed sisters, making <em>Call Me Mother</em> their long-awaited comeback collaboration.</p><p>For Nadine, saying yes was a no-brainer. She shared during the media conference that it was “an instant yes” upon hearing she would be working with Vice Ganda again, even before knowing what role she’d be assigned.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160890841Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre for Call Me Mother.JPG" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">The lead stars of &#x27;Call Me Mother,&#x27; Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre | Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Screenwriter <strong>Daniel Saniana</strong> revealed that the film was born from one compelling question while conceptualizing Vice’s next movie after <strong><em>And the Breadwinner Is</em></strong>—What role has Vice Ganda never played? That question sparked the idea of motherhood, leading to the creation of <em>Call Me Mother.</em></p><p>Beyond the humor and drama, the film also explores motherhood in all its forms. During the film’s media conference, <strong></strong>the cast reflected on the people who served as mother figures in their showbiz journey<strong></strong>—proof that real love isn’t defined solely by blood.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160937403Twinkle (Vice Ganda) and Mara (Nadine Lustre) in Call Me Mother.png" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Screenshot from the official trailer of &#x27;Call Me Mother&#x27; via Star Cinema</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Shuvee Etrata</strong></div><p>“<em>Siguro po si </em>Meme Vice. As I navigate <em>kasi</em> my way <em>sa</em> stardom, <em>marami akong hindi alam,</em> and Meme helped pave the way for me to learn, be accountable, and actually grow <em>sa</em> industry. So, he was like the lighting torch, <em>‘yung parang</em> guidance. So, <em>parang naging</em> guide <em>ko po si </em>Meme. <em>Parang </em>in a way, <em>siya po naging </em>mother <em>ko sa i</em>ndustry,” she said, expressing deep gratitude for her mentor, Vice Ganda.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160241077shuveeetrata_1764929321_3780823640058198198_2274606058.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @shuveeetrata</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>John Lapus</strong></div><p>“My whole career, I was so lucky <em>na ang</em> <em>buong</em> career<em> ko ay hinulma, binrainstorm, ginapang ng </em>women of ABS-CBN… <em>Nu&#x27;ng pumasok ako sa industriya, </em>at that time, <em>mga</em> boss <em>na sila, </em><em>mga</em> writers <em>na </em>director <em>na</em>. So, it was really very easy for me to transition from being a production staff <em>na</em> off-camera and eventually become an actor <em>dahil sa kanila lahat talaga. </em>As in, <em>sila ang nagsabing</em> ‘<em>Bakla, mag-artista ka na, sayang ang ganda mo, ang </em>talent <em>mo</em>,’” he recounted.</p><p>He then acknowledged the women who shaped his path, saying, “So, these are, namely Deo Endrinal, Wenn Deramas, director Ruel Bayani, Roxy Liquigan, Lui Andrada, Biboy Arboleda, my first manager, Eric Salud, and Don Cuaresma. So, <em>sila yung talagang mga ate ko na </em>really lived my career and created a masterpiece <em>na ang pangalan ay </em>‘The Universal Sweet’ <em>niya</em>. <em>Maski &#x27;yun, sila nagbigay nu&#x27;ng </em>title <em>sa akin ngayon. </em>So, I’m really very thankful <em>hanggang ngayon sa kanila.</em>”</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160272517starmagicphils_1764860756_3780248474697573770_218607907.jpg" style="width:700px;display:block" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @starmagicphils</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Vice Ganda</strong></div><p>“<em>Si</em> Direk Wenn, <em>siya talaga ‘yung nanay ko bago ko inako ngayon ni </em><em>Direk</em> Jun. <em>Si</em> Direk Wenn <em>talaga</em>. <em>Nu&#x27;ng nagsisimula ako, siya ‘yung nakipaglaban sa akin. Siya ‘yung nagbenta sa akin sa </em>Viva Films. <em>Siya’ yung naglako sa akin kahit natanggihan ako ng iba. Siya &#x27;yung nagtiwala talaga sa akin</em>,” Vice recalled.</p><p>She continued, “<em>T</em><em>apos ngayon, si </em><em>Tita</em> Cory [Vidanes]. <em>Para ko talaga siyang nanay. Para ko siyang nanay na</em> best friend, <em>na kapatid, &#x27;yun! Si</em> <em>Tita</em> Cory <em>‘yung nanay na nanay ko siya. ‘Yung mga ginagawa ng nanay ko sa akin, ginagawa niya sa ibang paraan kung paano ako inaalagaan at pinaglalaban ng nanay ko.</em>”</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160506060praybeytbenjamin_1761298381_3750365104555866783_249520785.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @praybeytbenjamin</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Carmi Martin</strong></div><p>“<em>Naging</em> mother <em>ko</em> <em>si</em> <em>Direk</em> Lino Brocka <em>nu&#x27;ng nabubuhay pa siya… </em>I never thought <em>na masyado niya rin akong minahal na parang anak na sa bahay namin sa </em>Sta. Ana <em>siya</em> <em>nag</em>-spend <em>ng</em> Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. And then, <em>talagang sinama niya ako sa mga </em>film festival <em>noon na kahit hindi naman ako kasama talaga doon sa pelikula. At ginawa niya akong anak</em>,” Carmi reminisced.</p><p>“As in, <em>binibili niya ako ng gatas.</em> As in, <em>hindi ko alam kung ano&#x27;ng nakita niya sa akin. Pero ginawa niya talaga akong anak niya. At parati niya ako. At ginabayan niya ako.</em> And I made a lot of movies with him. And<em> sobra ang respeto ko sa taong &#x27;yun</em>,” she said emotionally.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160565317capture.png" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @misscarmi_</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Chanda Romero</strong></div><p>“<em>Noong napunta na ako dito sa Manila, </em>in the early 80s <em>na</em> until now, ‘<em>yung</em> mother <em>ko talaga </em>who I think has nurtured me, whatever little seed of brains I have, <em>na</em>-cultivate <em>siya</em> <em>ng</em> our national artist, <em>si</em> Ricky Lee. <em>Hanggang ngayon, lahat nang natututunan ko </em>about life, about filling each other’s needs, wisdom, humility—Ricky Lee’s name is so great, but he’s the most humble person I know,” she shared.</p><p>Looking ahead to another holiday, she added, “So, <em>ngayon</em>, I’m looking forward to another Christmas<span style="margin:0px;padding:0px">, </span><em>pag hindi ako nakaka-uwi sa</em> Cebu, <em>syempre</em>, I’ll be spending Christmas again with him.”</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIGrzzTTuJg/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A574729%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="746" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Iyah Mina</strong></div><p>“Of course, <em>sa industry namin, sa</em> comedy bars, <em>ang nanay talaga namin,</em> of course, Meme Vice, and <em>Ate</em> MC. <em>Ak</em><em>ala ko dati wala nang </em>comedy bar <em>d</em><em>ahil sa pandemya. Nandoon na dumating na sa panahon na gusto ko na umuwi ng probinsya. </em><em>Tapos ayon na nga, binigyan kami ng bagong tahanan uli, itong</em> Vice Comedy Club <em>para magbigay ng ligaya. Kaya maraming salamat sa inyo,</em> Meme <em>at</em> <em>Ate</em> MC,” she expressed with gratitude.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px;display:block" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765160725201iyah_mina_1763492543_3768771069252683980_5555138051.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from @iyah_mina</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Lead photo from <strong>ABS-CBN Corporate Communications</strong></p>

<p>Beyond the humor and drama, Call Me Mother also explores motherhood in all its forms. During the film’s media conference, the cast reflected on the people who served as mother figures in their showbiz journey—proof that real love isn’t defined solely by blood.</p>

Beyond the humor and drama, Call Me Mother also explores motherhood in all its forms. During the film’s media conference, the cast reflected on the people who served as mother figures in their showbiz journey—proof that real love isn’t defined solely by blood.