Ace comedian Vice Ganda is back in the movies!

After three years, Vice Ganda said she is ready to share laughter and fun with her legions of fans once again with her latest offering from Star Cinema entitled "Partners In Crime," an official entry to the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival. Vice Ganda and social media darling Ivana Alawi star in the new movie directed by Cathy Garcia Molina.

"Na-mi-miss ko na rin yung ginagawa ko na magtatago ako sa sinehan tapos bigla akong magpapakita at magsasabing 'what's up, madlang pipol?' Ako lang gumagawa nun dati pero ngayon marami ng gumagawa," said Vice Ganda during an interview with the entertainment press in Quezon City recently.

(I also miss what I used to do where I would hide in the cinema and then suddenly show up and say 'what's up, madlang pipol?' I used to be the only one who did it, but now many people do it.)

"Gustong-gusto ko na nararamdaman yung pagmamahal ng madlang pipol sa akin. Tapos kahit inaawat ako ng security tapos pinipilit ko pa rin silang yakapin. Enjoy na enjoy talaga ako ruon. Pero duon talaga binibigay ko lahat kesehodang mahubaran ako. Hanggang last full show ikot ako ng ikot sa mga sinehan," she said.

(I really like that I feel the love of the public for me. Even if the security takes me away, I still force myself to hug them. I really enjoy it there even if my outfit is destroyed. Until the last full show I visit the theaters.)

Vice Ganda, 46, also said she needed to do a movie this time in an effort to boost the local movie industry.

"Gusto ko ng mag-movie not because of MMFF but I really need to do another film. Aware ako sa nangyayari di ba? Hindi ako puwedeng sobrang tagal na hindi ako mapapanood. Makaka-affect sa relevance mo yan eh. Aside from being an artist, I think and act as a manager of myself. So I felt like kahit ano'ng nangyayari, pandemic, nawalan ng franchise, kahit na ano'ng malalaking bagay, kailangan gumawa ka ng paraan to keep yourself afloat. Patatagan nga ito eh. Kung babagal-bagal ka, maiiwan ka talaga. So kailangan mag-movie na.

(I want to do a movie not because of MMFF but I really need to do another film. I'm aware of what's going on, right? I can't go too long without being watched. That will affect your relevance. Aside from being an artist, I think and act as a manager of myself. So I felt like no matter what happens, a pandemic, losing a franchise, no matter what the big things are, you have to find a way to keep yourself afloat. If you're slow, you will be left behind. So I really need to do another movie.)

"Tapos pinakiusapan na rin ako na I need to do a movie to help the industry. Parang kailangan mo na kaming tulungan dahil naghihingalo na ang industriya," she also said.

(Then I was asked to do a movie to help the industry. It seems you need to help us because the industry is dying.)

Vice Ganda recalled that the movie project was offered in 2019. However, it was delayed due to the pandemic.

"This movie talks about the struggles of people on when to stop, when to pause. Feeling ko sinadya talaga nila ang movie na ito para sa akin. Minsan may sinasabing sequence si Direk Cathy then napapaiyak na lang siya. Ako naman minsan sinasabi ko kung pwede ko inject yung tutoong nangyari sa akin. Tapos nag-iiyakan kaming dalawa.

(I feel like they really meant this movie for me. Sometimes Direk Cathy will discuss a sequence then it just makes her cry. I sometimes say if I can inject the truth that happened to me. Then we both cried.)

"Yung last scene ng pelikula it really happened to me. Drama kasi yung part. Kaya nung nagtake na siya, na-take 2 ako kasi grabe yung iniyak ko. Sabi ni direk sumobra yung lungkot. Eh gusto ni Direk Cathy masaya yung ending.  Nagtuloy-tuloy hagulgol ko nung sinasabi ko sorry hindi ako nakauwi. Hindi nila ako mapigil sobrang hagulgol na ako. Kaya noong pinapanood namin yung scene, umiiyak silang lahat. Sabi ni direk, pwede bang isa pa? Kasi kailangan masaya. Kung kaya mong bawasan ang luha," she said.

(The last scene of the movie really happened to me. It’s a drama. So when we shot it, I got two takes because I cried so much. The director said the sadness was too much. And Director Cathy wanted a happy ending. I kept crying when I said I’m sorry I didn’t come home. They couldn’t stop me. I was crying so much. So when we were watching the scene, they were all crying. The director said, can we have one more? Because we need to be happy. If you can reduce the tears.)

While there were dramatic scenes in her latest film, Vice Ganda said that she's not interested in doing a full-length drama project in the future. She just wants to do comedy all the way.

"I don't think it's my brand. If ever I will inject lang ng konting drama. People kasi want to see me funny, They want to see me make them laugh. Parang yun ang purpose ko sa kanila. Kaya kung gusto nilang umiyak, e di si John Lloyd (Cruz) na lang ang aabangan namin. Si Vice panonoorin mo kasi gusto namin tumawa.

(I don't think it's my brand. If ever, I will just inject a little drama. People want to see me funny, They want to see me make them laugh. It's like that's my purpose for them. So if they want to cry, they can just watch John Lloyd (Cruz). You'll watch Vice because you want to laugh.)

"Since it's also my brand, maraming tao na nagiging source of happiness nila ako. Kapag nakikita nila ako para silang nakakita ng cartoon character. Gusto ko yun ang mag-stay sa isip nila na si Vice nakakatuwa at nakakatawa. Kaya minsan kapag nalulungkot ako tinatago ko kasi sasabihin nila ay si Vice malungkot," she also said.

(Since it's also my brand, there are many people who make me their source of happiness. When they see me it's like they see a cartoon character. I want that to stay in their minds that Vice is fun and funny. So sometimes when I'm sad I hide it because they will say that Vice is sad.)

Vice Ganda has nothing but praises for Direk Cathy who she describes as "badass."

“She’s very confident to tell me ibigay mo sa akin ito. Hindi lahat ng trip niya gusto ko pero pinayagan ko. Ang galing eh!” she added. (She’s very confident to tell me to give it to me. I didn’t like all of her trips but I allowed it. She’s great!)

Lessons in showbiz

More than 20 years in show business, Vice Ganda believes she has seen a lot in the entertainment industry. And she has learned some lessons, too!

"Your source of achievements can be both beneficial and disadvantageous to you. And you really have to be very brave and very smart in dealing with people. Palakasan ng apog.

"Ang daming magtatangkang kumain sa'yo ng buo. So you have to be brave and strong physically, mentally and spiritually. Kasi iba yung brave sa strong. May mga brave pero hindi sila strong.

(Many will try to eat you alive. So you have to be brave and strong physically, mentally and spiritually. Because bravery is different from strong. There are brave people but they are not strong.)

"Natutuwa na lang ako kapag tinitignan ko minsan yung paligid. Yung mga iba sa paligid na nagta-try kumain ng palihim. Yung mga nangangalmot, nangangagat, namamapatid.

(I'm just happy when I look at the surroundings sometimes. The others around who try to eat you alive secretly. The ones scratching, biting, tearing.)

"You know, when you're starting, everyone will support you. And during that time when you're not making it yet, they will try to support you. But the moment you make it, they won't like it, especially if you make it bigger than them.

"So ganun yun. Sa simula susuportahan ka nila, kuning kuning, wala naman mawawala sa akin eh. Walang threat. Pero kapag pumutok ka na, ibang usapan na yun.

(So that's it. In the beginning they will support you, kuning kuning, I have nothing to lose. There is no threat. But when you become a star, that's a different story.)

"Ano'ng nangyari magkaibigan tayo dati? Ano'ng nangyari sinusuportahan ako nito dati, akala ko like ako nito dati? Hindi ko naman maiaalis yun sa kanila. These people try to eat me whole but now maybe they're just saying, beware of that Vice Ganda, she survived everyone and everything," said the Phenomenal Box Office Superstar.

(What happened when we were friends before? What happened when he supported me before, I thought he liked me before? I can't take that away from them.)

A colorful year

Despite the challenges and imperfections, Vice Ganda said that she emerged victorious this year.

"It's very colorful. Ang daming ganap eh. Sa dami ng ginagawa ko ang daming nangyayari sa akin araw-araw. Buti nga hindi ako nababaliw. Iiyak tapos tatawa. Tapos ibang tao na kausap natin. Yung ganun. Nakakabaliw! Para siyang pelikula na per scene? Ganun ang life ko pero it's victorious. Sobra! Sa ngarag siguro parang mas malaki yung fraction na nanalo ako. Itong taon na ito nanalo pa rin ako. It's still a winning year for me."

(It's very colorful. So many things happened. With the amount of things I do, a lot happens to me every day. It's good that I don't go crazy. I'll cry and then laugh. Then we talk to other people. That's crazy! It's like a movie per scene? My life is like that but it's victorious. Too much! It seems like the fraction that I won is bigger. This year I still won. It's still a winning year for me.)

"I exert so much effort in everything that I do. Not because I wanna be No. 1 all the time or stay No. 1 forever but to die being No. 1, hindi naman. But I give the very best all the time because that's how I am. Hindi ako nagsasayang ng chance. Hindi ako nagsasayang ng time or moment. Hindi ako nagsasayang ng trust. I wanna be great in what I do. Not because I wanna defeat anyone. Not because I wanna dethrone anyone but I just wanna be great in what I do.

"I wanna stay in this business longer, although hindi naman natin masasabi kung magtatagal talaga tayo ng mahabang panahon. Ang saya-saya ko siyang ginagawa eh. Ang dami kong sacrifice but it's worth it. Kaya ko naman. Mahal ko na siya. Ayoko ng mawalay sa kanya.

(I wanna stay in this business longer, although we can't say if we will really last for a long time. I have a lot of fun doing it. I sacrificed a lot but it's worth it. I can do it. I love it. I don't want to be separated from it.)

Fame and fortune

With a tight schedule, Vice Ganda said that she misses her family so much. She rarely joins her family in simple activities at home like playing bingo. That's one of the prices that Vice Ganda has to pay for being successful.

"Every Wednesday and Sunday, nagbibingo sila sa bahay. Yung nanay ko, sasabihin 'anak hindi ka ba sasama may session?' Sabi ko magpapadala na lang ako ng pera. Sabi nya 'may pera ako.' Punta raw ako sa kanya ipagluluto raw niya ako. Sabi ko hindi ko carry, Nay. Parang storya ito ng pelikula ko. It's about the relationship with your family na nawala dahil ang dami mong gusto ma-achieve sa buhay. Ang dami mong na-achieve at nagawa sa ibang tao pero yung para sa mga pinakamahalagang tao sa buhay mo, nase-set aside mo. Minsan tumatakas ako eh. Bumabawi na lang ako sa birthdays at Pasko.

(Every Wednesday and Sunday, they play bingo at home. My mother would say, 'Son, won't you come to the session?' I said I'll just send money. She said 'I have money.' She said she will cook for me. I said I can't do it, mom. It's like a story from my movie. It's about the relationship with your family that's gone because there's so much you want to achieve in life. There's so much you've achieved and done for other people, but what is for the most important people in your life, you set aside. Sometimes I run away. But I really spend time with them during birthdays and Christmas.)

"It's very hard to balance. Kung pwede ka lang humiling sa Diyos na dagdagan ang oras or humiling ka sa kanya na dagdagan ang araw sa isang linggo, dagdagan ang linggo sa isang buwan at dagdagan ang buwan sa isang taon, kung pwede lang hilingin sa Diyos gagawin ko.

(It's very hard to balance. If you could just ask God to add time or ask him to add a day to a week, add a week to a month and add a month to a year, if you could just ask God I will.)

Still, Vice Ganda's family is her No. 1 source of happiness.

"My family makes me very happy. 'Its Showtime' is also my source of joy. It's my safest place aside from my home. Kapag nandoon ako, kahit stress, kahit nagtatalo talo kami ng staff, kasi live eh, head ako ng creatives, so kapag may mali, kapag hawak ko na ang microphone, nakakalimutan ko lahat at ang saya-saya ko. Mga kapatid ko at mga kaibigan ko, kapag magkakasama kami, tawang tawa ako. Feeling ko nga sa mga taong nakapaligid sa akin, ako yung least na nakakatawa. Sa mga ganap nila, nagkakaroon ako ng mga idea at dinedevelop ko sya into a material," she said.

(When I'm there, even if I'm stressed, even if the staff and I argue, because it's live, I'm the head of creatives, so when something goes wrong, when I'm holding the microphone, I forget everything and I'm having fun. My brothers and my friends, when we are together, I laugh. I feel that among the people around me, I am the least funny. Because of them, I have ideas and I develop them into a material.)

So how rich is Vice Ganda?

"I am very rich! But the term rich is very subjective. I am rich because I am loved by so many people. My family is healthy. That's wealth. Okay pa naman ang mga trabaho ko. I am very rich. Minsan may nakikita akong numbers like richest men in ganito. Sabi ko, hindi naman, parang kulang. Minsan sobra naman. Kaya minsan nag-a-add din ako kasi minsan magkasama ang liquid at assets. 

Vice Ganda said that she handles her finances well, adding that she also wants her close friends to save for the rainy days.

"Tutok ako sa finances and may tao akong pinagkakatiwalaan. Ayoko ng may kaibigan ako lalo na kung bakla tapos maghihirap lalo na kung may kapasidad kang umunlad. Kung hindi man lang kita mai-influence goodbye kasi baka mai-influence mo ako eh," she said.

(I'm focused on finances and I have someone I trust. I don't want to have a friend, especially if he's gay, then he'll suffer, especially if you have the capacity to improve. If I can't even influence you, goodbye because maybe you can influence me.)

He or she?

Vice Ganda wrapped up the interview by answering on how people should address her: is it he or she?

"I am actually okay with he or she. That's very important that you ask because not everyone is comfortable with he or she. Personally, sa akin lang ito, I don't mind. Natatawag ako ng sir or ma'm. He or she."