Alfred Vargas admits getting star-struck by Nora Aunor

Actor-producer Alfred Vargas (extreme right) with his powerhouse cast in Adolf Alix’s ‘Pieta’ (from left) Gina Alajar, Nora Aunor and Jaclyn Jose.

MANILA — Actor-producer Alfred Vargas may have been in the industry for two decades now, but he undeniably got star-struck when he worked with superstar and National Artist Nora Aunor, who plays his mother in Adolf Alix’s “Pieta,” written by Jerry Gracio.

“When Direk Adolf and I met last year, he presented to me this concept of a mother and son,” Vargas told ABS-CBN News. “The story in itself is very, very powerful and interesting. So I said, ‘Let’s try it.’

“When he told me he was planning to cast superstar Nora Aunor as my mother, nagulat ako. I thought it was impossible. Ate Guy was not accepting projects at that time.”

Aunor’s last project was Joel Lamangan’s “Isa Pang Bahaghari,” shown in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2020, but the film wrapped up in 2018.

With the help of Direk Adolf, I went to Ate Guy’s house at umakyat ako ng ligaw,” Vargas recalled. “In short, I was very honored at napabalik ko si Ate Guy to work again in front of the cameras.

“I felt that Ate Guy also trusted me and it was my first time to work with her. The other National Artist I worked with was Ricky Lee as a writer. But when Ate Guy gave her nod, then kasama pa sa cast si Gina Alajar and Jaclyn Jose.

“Those names were several items in my acting bucket list. All checks. I just gave it my all when Ate Guy and I started working.”

“Pieta” wrapped up principal photography after filming from February to April. Post-production is now being completed.

“Doon ko lang na-experience ang sinasabi nilang Nora Aunor magic,” Vargas said. “Iba siya talaga. She may be the superstar and National Artist, but when we’re together on-cam and even off-cam, she never made me feel that I’m a small actor.

“She just made me feel comfortable all throughout. After filming, mahal na mahal ko na talaga si Ate Guy.

“When you are together in one scene, you are in front of each other, you can feel her 100 percent. But when you watch the preview, napaganda pa niya ang scene on her own. Parang naging 200 percent.

“Ang galing na niya while you’re working together, but when you see the preview, it was a lot better. She is a master of it. That was the Nora magic.”

Admittedly, Vargas got star-struck acting in his first few scenes with Aunor. “Once I got over that, I was okay.”

Vargas commended Aunor even more when the actress was off camera. “She has a good sense of humor not everybody knows about,” he said. “She’s so charming. She’s a darling.”

Meanwhile, Vargas also praised his director. “Direk Adolf certainly knows what he’s doing,” Vargas said. “Even before shooting the scene, he already knew how to edit it.

“He has this approach of wholeness in things that he does, not only as a director, but also as a writer, designer and editor. That helped us a lot. He was a very good manager in terms of managing the set.

“Malalim ang creative fire sa pagkatao ni Direk Adolf. Lumalabas sa mga eksena ang pagkatao niya.”

In “Pieta,” Vargas plays an ex-convict who got pardoned after 25 years only to find that his mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s. “When I got home, she can no longer recognize me,” Vargas offered.

“People have to find out why I was jailed. It was also my character’s search for truth and my reunion with my mother as I was trying to find ways for her to remember me as her son.”

This early, Alix’s “Pieta” already got several invitations to join international film festivals.

The budget for “Pieta” is definitely not meager. “When you have a superstar in the cast, you cannot work with just a small budget,” Vargas shared.

Alix is known for his directorial debut, “Donsol” (2006), that starred Sid Lucero. He directed Aunor in “Padre de Familia” (2016) and again in “Whistleblower” (2016).

His film that was screened in Cannes Film Festival was the drama “Death March,” starring Zanjoe Marudo, Sam Milby and Jason Abalos.

Vargas wants to do other films like Danny Boyle’s “The Beach” (2000) with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ella Kazan’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951) or a zombie film like Marc Forster’s “World War Z,” that topbilled Brad Pitt.

He also wants to do a film about a Filipino legend or alamat. “Nagawa ko na ang Filipino hero with Andres Bonifacio,” Vargas noted. “I also shot a film abroad with ‘Tagpuan.’

“Nagawa ko na rin ang ‘Macho Dancer’ and ‘Bridal Shower.’ Nagawa ko na ang ‘ZsaZsa Zaturnnah.’ I want to make intimate films like ‘Before Sunrise,’ ‘Before Sunset’ or ‘Before Midnight’.”

While he tried theater when he was in college with Tanghalang Ateneo, Vargas wants to venture into doing stage plays anew. “I’m open to doing theater again,” Vargas said. “Babalik ako sa teatro.”