For award-winning Kapamilya star Jodi Sta. Maria, being part of an action series is a dream come true.

You've seen her in tearjerker or romantic-comedy films or series. But for the first time, viewers will witness Jodi performing stunts and fight scenes in the upcoming ABS-CBN series "Lavender Fields," scheduled to air in September.

Having been in the entertainment industry for 27 years, Jodi believes he has portrayed almost every role. But not yet. She realized that she had never done an action series.

"I've been in the business for 27 years — more than half my life nandito ako. Parang ang dami ko ng nagawa. Pero sabi ko parang hindi pa tayo nakakagawa ng action. 

(I've been in the business for 27 years — more than half my life I've been here. It seems like I've done a lot. But I said it looks like we haven't done any action yet.)

"At parang nakikinig talaga ang langit. When they offered 'Lavender Fields,' sabi ko, 'Oh my! Action-drama! So sabi ko mukhang pwede ko itong gawin?" said Jodi.

(And it's like heaven is listening. When they offered 'Lavender Fields,' I said, 'Oh my! Action-drama! So I said it looks like I can do it?')

Jodi, 42, added: "Pero natatakot ako dahil ayoko ng mga sakitan. Ayoko ng makapanakit. Baka kasi mali ang tantya or galaw ko. Baka mabali yung ilong ng ka-eksena but we always welcome challenges. I want something new and I think this would be a good addition to my body of work."

(But I'm afraid because I don't want to get hurt. I don't want to be hurt. Maybe because my estimate or movement is wrong, my co-star's nose will be broken, but we always welcome challenges.)

Months before the series started to shoot, the winner of Best Actress at Asian Academy Creative Awards said she had been training for action scenes.

"Maraming preparations talaga rito. Hindi ito yung tipong isang araw lang at sasabak ka na. We've been preparing months before we shot the first scene. Kahit na hindi pa kailangan ang mga action scenes, we've been training for it. 

(There's a lot of preparation here. It's not the kind that takes one day and you jump in. We'd been preparing months before we shot the first scene. Even though the action scenes aren't needed yet, we've been training for it.)

"There's also a lot strength and conditioning involved. If I may share lang, there was one training na ginagawa ko: tatakbo ako sa treadmill tapos kakanta ako. Kasi sabi sa akin ni Direk, 'O, habang nakikipag suntukan ka rito, nagda-dialogue ka.' Paano ko kaya magagawa na magto throw ako ng lines pero hindi ko siya mapuputol-putol? So I thought of why not run sa treadmill and then sing live! So yun na nga ang ginagawa ko.

(There's also a lot of strength and conditioning involved. There was one training that I do: I'll run on the treadmill, and then I'll sing. Because Direk told me, 'While you're fighting here, you will say your dialogue.' How can I throw lines continuously? So I thought, why not run on the treadmill and then sing live? So that's what I'm doing.)

Jodi stated that she had already built a strong foundation long before she accepted "Lavender Fields." Only that the discipline was different, she said.

While it's a first for Jodi to do an action-drama series, she expressed her interest in portraying a psychopath in the future.

"Mahilig akong magbasa ng books. So meron akong nabasa about a serial killer. Parang magandang gumanap na psychopath. Parang nice but then hindi mo alam talaga what really happened behind closed doors kung sino talaga ang tao na ito. Kasi ang twisted ang mind ng serial killers. Tapos gagawan mo lang siya ng magandang backstory at bakit siya naging ganun," she said.

Jodi expressed gratitude for portraying another empowered woman in the new series, mentioning that it was purely coincidental that she gets to play female roles with substance.

"Nagkataon lang na ito ang dumarating na roles sa akin. It's important to play the role of an empowered woman, someone who chooses not to be a victim all her life. Who knows baka ma-inspire sila or mag-aspire sila na maging empowered person at mahanap niya yung strength na matagal na niyang hinahanap."

(It's just a coincidence that these roles come to me. It's important to play the role of an empowered woman, someone who chooses not to be a victim all her life. Who knows maybe they will be inspired or they will aspire to be an empowered person and find the strength she's been looking for)

Looking ahead

Jodi graduated in 2021. But she said she would continue to pursue further studies: "After graduation, I'm still planning to get my master's degree. Naghahanap lang tayo ng time for that. I'm sure a schedule will open to make it happen."

She also loves to travel. "Every time na may matatapos akong project, you will find me somewhere. Yun ang pang recharge ko or pang renew ko. Each time I return, I come back recharged."

Thirdy goes to college

Jodi gushed that her son Thirdy is going to college.

"College na yung anak ko. He is 19 years old. It's different when you have a teenager. Noong maliit si Thirdy, parang ako talaga ang mundo niya. And then now, he is in college, asserting his individuality or, at times, asserting his autonomy. Ganun na kami. 

"When I look back, ganun pala ang parenting. Iba't ibang seasons talaga ang papasukin mo. Iba na rin kapag nagta-trabaho na rin siya. Basta ako I do a lot of letting go. Hindi ko na siya masyadong sinasakal. 

"I let go of the fears and worries. I trust him. I would always say, "Lord if I love my son, alam ko na mas mahal mo siya kesa sa akin at hindi mo siya papabayaan," she also said.

Asked about her message to her son, Jodi said: "Whenever I have heart-to-heart with him, hindi ako nahihiya sabihin sa kanya na I love him. And when I say I love him, I don't love him on the good days. I love him even on the bad days. And he knows that."

Grateful

Jodi said that she is thankful for the blessings she has received.

"I'm more grateful. I'm grateful for my work and significant milestones. Life is not perfect, but I choose to see the blessings. There are things in my life that I truly believe I don't deserve, but God is truly gracious and merciful. I choose to see the blessings. Kung magiging entitled pa ako, mahihiya naman ako. Yung passion ko talagang hindi nawawala. 

"I am blessed with a passion that turned into a profession. So pumapasok ako sa trabaho na parang hindi ako nagta-trabaho. I always look forward to being on set, sharing lives and talents with my colleagues and co-actors," she said.

So Jodi believes that people wear masks to hide their true persona.

"Regarding the mask, I truly believe we all wear masks no matter how kind or genuine a person is, as it seems. But I think there's always something behind that mask. I want to call it personas. We put on a persona. When I face you guys, this is my persona. I'm not saying this is fake. 

"When I come home, I put off the career persona and put on my mommy, Jodi, daughter persona. So, we all have personas talaga. So that's how I also accepted Dirty Linens. Lahat tayo may masks. I hope people will realize that. I think the only time that we take off the mask is when we are willing to be vulnerable," Jodi added.