Exclusive: "Meet Me In St. Gallen" Lead Actress Bela Padilla Reveals Her Next Scriptwriting Project And Shares Her Must-Dos In St. Gallen, Switzerland
Bela Padilla has become a household name for a reason. First, her flair for acting is unmistakable. Then, coming from acting, the innate artist in her expanded into other creative outlets. Now, she has slowly dipped her toes into being a scriptwriter and a director.
But for now, Bela continues to impress audiences of all ages. After the success of her most recent movies like Camp Sawi and 100 Tula Para Kay Stella, the 26-year-old actress will star opposite Carlo Aquino in the latest romantic comedy by Spring Films called Meet Me in St. Gallen. Already gaining buzz on social media because of the movie’s quirky and kilig storyline as seen in the teasers and official trailer, Bela as Celeste is truly one to look forward to.
“Celeste is very, very different from the previous roles I played,” she shares. “She’s more mature and very sure of herself, and it’s the first time for me to portray a graphic artist. Their way of thinking is different, so I had to learn all of that." Aside from the challenge that comes with a new character, she’s also very particular with Celeste’s look in the film, just like how differently she did it with Stella in her 2017 hit.
In this exclusive interview, she talks more about her experience in filming Meet Me in St. Gallen. And since we’re intrigued about her blossoming scriptwriting career, we also asked details about her beginnings in penning great stories.
Metro.Style: What was your most memorable experience while filming Meet Me In St. Gallen?
Bela Padilla: It’s definitely shooting in the snow because it’s a first. And it’s the first time I’ve seen snow as a grown-up, the last time was when I was 8, I think. And it's actually hard—it's just really beautiful on picture. But seriously, the extreme climate change became a very good motivation for us in doing the scenes.
MS: What can you say about your pairing with Carlo?
BP: I’m happy with the pairing. I’ve always been a fan of Carlo’s work—his acting, it always pierces through the screen, it makes you wanna cry with him or hug him to make him feel better. And I love people who affect you like that. I was excited to see that up close. Carlo and I have known each other for a long time but we've never worked with each other. At least now, we finally got that chance.
MS: What are the things you loved about St. Gallen, and would recommend people to do when they visit the place?
BP: Walk slowly, drink good coffee. Have a cup of hot dark chocolate in the afternoon then eventually switch to hot red wine. Enter the shops, treat the locals like family because that’s how they treat each other. Learn their words because they appreciate it when you speak to them in their language. Buy fruits from the local market, have that for breakfast instead of our typical rice—and stop complaining that there’s no rice! We actually tried to eat their food and it’s good. Open your eyes and see everything, there’s so much beautiful architecture. All of that, it still amazes me.
MS: Let’s talk about your writing career. How did you discover that you love to write?
BP: I used to write in high school, but more than writing, I love reading. Then I've already seen the format of scripts because I’ve been accepting jobs. And there are roles that I want that nobody wants to write, so I had to write it for myself. That was really my motivation. But since I started writing, I haven’t given myself a role yet, I give it to other people. But hopefully, eventually.
MS: What’s your creative process like?
BP: It’s almost very similar for acting and writing. For acting, first step is to read the full script. Step two, talk to the director. Step three, create a playlist. As a writer, on the other hand, my process is if it’s a job that was given to me, I’ll really ask what they want. And then I have a group of people that I trust completely, then I meet with them to talk and exchange ideas, and from there, I’ll get a feel of what I want to write. Also, I noticed I usually write more in the morning.
MS: What are the top five must-read books you would recommend?
BP: You should read at least one Chuck Palahniuk book, one Dean Koontz book, one Stephen King book, a cheesy love story by Danielle Steel, and an adult fiction to get into the mind of teens today.
MS: What’s next for your scriptwriting career?
BP: Star Cinema offered and asked me to write for them. I just submitted a script. I’m just waiting for them now.
Photos courtesy of Cornerstone (thumbnail and cover photo)
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