Donny and Maricel reveals to MEGA Entertainment what it meant to work together for their upcoming moving, GG and sparking a talk on eSports for all generations
Among all the five children of Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, one of them dared to follow her footsteps in show business. After a number of years in establishing his name in the industry, Donny finally had the chance to work with his mother in their upcoming project, GG or Good Game.
In an exclusive interview with MEGA Entertainment, the mother and son tandem opened up on why they said yes to the film and what games could offer so much for different generations.
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A default teamwork
Dealing with family is, indeed, already a game of its own. Navigating through mazes goes the same for figuring out who gets to use which gadget. Combatting a monster with another player needs the same cooperation as working together to finish chores quickly. By default, Donny has worked with his mother since the beginning of his life. But this time around, it’s for their shared love for the craft.
“This is definitely a dream come true,” the 25-year-old actor says. “Just being able to work with family on the same project. It was a unique and unforgettable experience, something we will [never forget.]”
Echoing his sentiments, Maricel seconds. “[I feel] super privileged. “You know how you’re working and you can’t wait to finish because you want to go home to be with your family? In this case, you’re not rushing to go anywhere. You just wanna be there, enjoy the moment, work on it together, and see the magic happen altogether.”
“But we’re not done yet!” the actor ends his answer on the question, hinting at future projects to come with his family.
A level up on craft
GG or Good Game, is not just a product of two Pangilinan family members. Their patriarch, Anthony, also made a cameo in the film. Meanwhile, Hannah is one of the producers. If there were things that their children inherited from their parents, it was passion and creativity. For Maricel, she had a particular moment of admiration for her first son.
“There was this one time na I was looking at him, we were doing a scene and I completely forgot my lines because I was amazed at the fact that this was really happening and before me was my son,” she marvels. “We were throwing lines with each other and he was doing so well. Nahiya ako pero kasi namangha ako! But that’s what it’s all about, you know. To build something through the years not realizing that the next generation is watching you and they can bring things much farther than you have ever reached. That’s when you see you have planted something good.”
As for Donny, he acknowledges not just his nuclear family, but also the ties he formed with the cast and crew. “It really takes a village,” he responds with all honesty. “Post-production took the longest. But with everyone’s heart in the same place, we are proud to release this for the public to see.”
A voice for the game
With the film centered on eSports, the Pangilinan pair also mentioned a few games that they were fond of. For Maricel, it was Atari and Space Invaders then, and Candy Crush now. She would also play Inside Out with her youngest child, Solana. Meanwhile, for the Can’t Buy Me Love star, he would still have to find time to play due to his schedule. “But I’ve always been a fan of Call of Duty, NBA 2K, and Mario Kart or anything Mario. [The Legend of] Zelda and Grand Theft Auto used to take up a lot of my time, too.”
At the heart of this project for Donny and Maricel was a greater purpose beyond their mother and son bond. “We want to show people that you can really find a career as a player, host, streamer, and more. We have so many great players and professional teams in the Philippines alone.” Underscoring the concept, they made sure to capture the real hustle and bustle of the game by having actual gamers as consultants during the production. A new game called Requiem was even created exclusively for GG.
As for the matriarch, it was all about sparking a conversation and bridging gaps between generations. “If we’re able to spark a conversation between these generations and misunderstandings because of the perception that people currently have about gadgets, the eSports community, and gaming, then we have achieved our goal.”
Keeping family as part of the purpose, Donny concludes his response asserting their goal. “GG is a family film as well. We show both sides of the spectrum. What the parents may go through, and what the children may be going through as well. We want to bridge that gap between both generations.”
Photography KIM ANGELA SANTOS
