After 29 years, award-winning actor Piolo Pascual will make his horror movie debut in "Mallari." The much-awaited flick is an official entry to the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival under Mentorque Productions.

At a media conference held at KAO Manila in Pasay City last Thursday, Piolo recounted turning down "Mallari" due to his hectic schedule.

"No," said Piolo when the project was first offered to him. "I'm still doing a film at that time and have a US tour. There's no way I could squeeze it into my busy schedule." 

During a movie set conversation about serial killers, Piolo discovered that "Mallari" was a real person. "It gave me goosebumps. Ano ba ito, sign?" Then he called his manager to pitch a horror movie.

"Ang ganda ng movie. Pero sabi ko tatlong characters at napakahirap. Kailangan ko ba ito ngayon? Busy kasi ako eh. So you can say I'm a sucker for good stories," said Piolo.

(The movie is good. But I said three characters, and it's tough. Do I need it now? Because I'm busy. So you can say I'm a sucker for good stories.)

Piolo has always wanted to star in a horror film, but his mother studio has other plans.

"Sa Star Cinema, I would always ask Tita Malou (Santos) back then gusto ko mag-horror. I don't look pang horror daw. Pang rom-com daw ako eh. E di wow! Finally, I got a chance and a good story that we saw. It's a good story, and we went through seven drafts to develop a more compressed story.," he said.

Mallari" is a partly fictional, partly true-to-life account inspired by the true story of Fr Juan Severino Mallari, a parish priest in the 1800s who killed 57 people before being caught, thereby becoming the first and only recorded Filipino serial killer ever, antedating Jack The Ripper by more than 60 years.

Piolo revealed that producers hired an acting coach to assist him in perfecting his acting skills for the entire duration of the film's sequences.

"I had an acting coach in this movie who guided me in every sequence. We would talk about the scenes we would be doing daily. So I could differentiate the three characters from different timelines," he said.

Piolo, 46, confessed that "Mallari" really scared him.

"It did. That same day malalaman mo totoong tao pala si Mallari. So kailangan mong mag banlaw or shake it off. The day after I finished my last scene, I was doing a band rehearsal. So ito na siguro yung banlaw ko. You go on with your life. I'm happy I could give these three amazing characters and do something different.

(It did. That same day you will know that Mallari is a real person. So you have to shake it off. The day after I finished my last scene, I was doing a band rehearsal. This may be the time to shake it off. You go on with your life. I'm happy I could give these three amazing characters and do something different.)

"Ang hirap kasi first day ko pa lang tatlong characters na yung ginawa ko.I don't know what I got myself into, but I was breaking down on the first day I had to do three characters. I couldn't stop crying. I was so vulnerable. Napakahirap kasi ng conflict ng characters. Kailangan mo talaga siyan pasukin," said Piolo. 

(It's hard because I did three characters on my first day. I don't know what I got myself into, but I was breaking down on the first day I had to do three characters. I couldn't stop crying. I was so vulnerable. Because the conflict between the characters is so complex. You really have to let him in.)

Despite feeling tense playing three characters, Piolo was thrilled to make the movie due to the positive atmosphere on set.

"And then going to our set kung saan nagpagawa sila ng community, like the church and houses, sabi ko gagalingan ko na lang talaga. And then they also shot sa mga heritage house dito sa Bulacan. That's where we shot the interior. But it was worth it. Everyone just wanted to create a beautiful film. It was a happy set," he said.

(And then going to our set where they made a community, like the church and houses, I said I just have to prove myself. And then they also shot the heritage houses in Bulacan. That's where we shot the interior. But it was worth it. Everyone just wanted to create a beautiful film. It was a happy set.)

On his co-star Gloria Diaz, Piolo said: "Gloria Diaz is a welcome introduction sa film kasi iba yung elements niya. Siya yung conflict ni Severino Mallari. What she brought to the table was really amazing. At 3 a.m. sabi ko, okay lang kayo tita? Sabi niya okay lang, okay lang. Mga anak ko tuwang tuwa sa role ko kasi nasa horror daw siya. She's also making kwento about her apos. Excited siya kahit madaling araw."

(Gloria Diaz is a welcome introduction to the film because her elements are different. She is Severino Mallari's conflict. What she brought to the table was really amazing. At 3 a.m. I said, 'Are you okay?' She said, 'I'm okay. I'm okay.' My children are very happy with my role because they say I'm in a horror movie. She's also mentioned stories about her grandchildren. She's excited even at dawn.)

Piolo praised the movie's ability to showcase the stars' creativity. He also commended director Roderick Cabrido.

"We were able to become more creative because there was space for it. Sabi ng director ko kapag hindi maganda, 'Kuya, bumibitiw ka. Parang hindi tama 'yung mata mo. Kasi you have to be on the same page with him. Otherwise, ma-lo-lose yung thread ng story. He knows his story. He knows his movie so much.

"The discipline instilled in me was great. It humbled me. It made me realize that you can't always rest on your laurels. The only way to get over yourself is to think out of the box and do something different. You'll never know how far you can go if you don't leave your comfort zone. If you settle there, there won't be any growth,'' he said.

Piolo's portrayal of "Mallari" in the movie reflects his acting humility. "At the end of the day, it's not about you. You're a vessel for a character. So it can't be about you. Nagkataon na sa'yo lang naibigay yung magandang character. So pagbutihin mo na lang."

(At the end of the day, it's not about you. You're a vessel for a character. So it can't be about you. You just happened to be given a good character. So you just have to prove your worth.)

Producer Bryan Dy believes "Mallari" written by Enrico Santos could become a timeless classic.

"Shot in various historic locations in the Philippines, including a village built purposely for the movie, almost four years in the planning, with three timelines that combine audiences’ love for retro horror with the immediate relatability of current terrors, 'Mallari' is expected to be a masterpiece so rarely made in the Philippines, a potential classic, and a sensation once it shows this Christmas, 2023," said Dy.