Meryll Soriano goes after her dream

The actress swears that whatever it takes, she will direct at least one film in this lifetime. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/MERYLLSORIANO 

AS the truism goes, “Life begins at 40.” And as far as her showbiz career is concerned, there’s no stopping Meryll Soriano from chasing her dream to direct a film once she reached that age.

Having turned a year older and wiser — as the clichè goes — Meryll swore that whatever it took: “I will direct at least one film.”

In fact, she had already hatched what her directorial debut would be like.

“Ten years ago, I wanted to tackle postpartum depression. But back then, nobody seemed to take me seriously. Perhpas, they thought I was only jesting when I said I want to direct something. But I told myself, how would I know if I could do it if I don’t try?”

Meryll’s firm decision led her to finding a writer with whom she could comfortably work.

“That’s also the reason why I enrolled in Ricky Lee’s writing workshop because I believed that for me to be able to direct, I should also be able to understand my scriptwriter.”

Meryll is also happy to have found the producers willing to bankroll her first ever directorial project. Does she see herself as the main character in her film?

“My friends are actually telling me to also act for the film but I also had to evaluate I could do two roles for the project.”

On her vlog with her aunt Maricel Soriano late last year, Meryll expressed her interest to have the former in a movie.

“Yes, I’d like us to be together in a film again because I was really young the last time we worked together in a comedy project. But directing her, why not? It’s just that I guess there’s gonna be a bit of nervousness. After all, she is the Maricel Soriano, the Diamond Star!”

Meryll, however, heaped praises on her tita Mary despite the latter’s intimidating facade.

“One thing nice about her is that she’s a generous person. I know she will guide me because she loves and trusts me. And I also witness how collaborative she is when it comes to work.”

If ever she becomes a full-fledged director, will Meryll consider directing her dad Willie Revillame?

“Ay, no! He might even be the one to direct me.”

Speaking of possible projects, does Meryl mind if her partner Joem Bascon is cast in one of those?

“He actually wants to. I don’t think he’ll feel intimidated at all to have me as his director. He knows we are different from who we are on the set and who we are at home,” Meryll said within Joem’s hearing distance.

At press time, Meryll’s postpartum-themed film has yet to be given a title.

But I’m just wondering how much of the movie is culled from Meryll’s experience.

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GUESS who? Did you know that that last year’s much-ballyhooed quarrel between a showbiz mom (SM) and her petite daughter (PD) was actually nothing new?

Many years ago, this writer had a rare chance to bond with the PD.

We found ourselves at a small hub in Quezon City, trading stories about family.

Without a family of her own yet, the PD seemed to be enjoying her single hood as she’d gulp down mug after mug of light beer.

“Isn’t anyone looking for you back home?” I inquired, concerned about her mom who might be worried she wasn’t home when it was already way past midnight.

“No worries, she would call me — that’s if I answer my phone,” pointing to her gadget with her handbag on the vacant chair right next to her.

Intrigued, I probed: “Why wouldn’t you answer?”

The PD then reached out for her phone, tinkered with it then asked me to come near her: “Look at the name I registered for my mom. Do you think she’d be able to get an answer from me?”

Instead of the SM’s name that was registered, it read: “Don’t Answer.”