Krista Miller puts the past behind her

Krista Miller admits finding it hard to downplay a not-so-rosy reputation after people have accused her of causing the break up of Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz’s marriage.

“I was about to give up sa pangarap ko since grade school na maging kilalang artista. Yung issue na napagdaanan ko ay naging rason para i-judge nila ako. Dahil sa ganoong negative speculations, nawala ang pag asa ko,” she told media at the presscon for the Sineng Pambansa Horror Plus Film Festival, which runs October 29 to November 4 at all SM Cinema and Waltermart Cinema branches nationwide.

The star of Gil Portes’ “Hukluban,” one of four films to be screened (the others are Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes’ “T’yanak”, “Edgardo Vinarao’s “Bacao” and Romy V. Suzara’s “Sigaw sa Hatinggabi”) has reason to hope again.

‘Great trouper’

Portes not only praised her for playing Mira, a beautiful woman with a secret curse, convincingly. He called her a “great trouper.”

The director recalls how she nearly drowned during the last day of the shoot in his native Quezon province.

“I was to count up to five tapos sisisid siya. Number two pa lang nawala na siya. So tinanong ko bakit siya sumisid without my cue. Yung set man sinabi that she’s drowning. Yung undercurrent, hinila siya.”

Good thing the set man, a good swmmer, had the presence of mind to jump into the water and save Krista in the nick of time.

Cheating death

Direk Gil was all set to adjust the scene and just shoot Krista while she’s taking a bath by a boulder.

“I wanted to stop the shoot. Krista was crying. Pero ayaw niya. She wanted to go on (with the original plan to go under water).”

Krista wants to be a good actress, remember? So she wanted the scene to be as realistic as possible. Besides, she plays the title role.

But she realized she actually cheated death.

Another scary scene

“Nakatulala ako. Ang sakit pala. Pag tinatangay ka, akala mo mamatay ka na.”

That was not the only scary part of Krista’s shoots. She recalls an encounter with a supernatural force while shooting a romantic scene in a cave with love interest Kiko Matos.

“Nanghihina ako that day . Kakakasidente ko lang noon. Sabi sa akin ng isang staff na may third eye, may isang lalaking spirit sa cave na may gusto sa akin. Nasa gitna daw namin siya ni Kiko.”

Krista got scared, of course. But she learned to move on by telling herself she’lll just befriend the spirit and call him Albert.

Blooming romance

“Kapag sinundan nya ako sa bahay, kakamustahin ko na lang siya.”

Krista not just won her director’s heart. She also found an admirer in Kiko.

The dusky actor asked her out a couple of times and only got her nod after not giving up on his first few tries.

Kiko admits he did that to get Krista’s trust as his leading lady in torrid kissing and love scenes. But as the days went on, he felt something different towards her.

“May na-develop. After the movie, hindi na kami single. Double na.”

Gala premieres

Krista smiles and agrees.

“Tinanong ko siya kung single siya.”

She added that Kiko understands her mood swings.

Krista and Kiko are not the only ones who are happy because of this. Direk Gil promises his actors’ chemistry will please moviegoers as well.

“Hukluban” will have a gala premiere on Tuesday, October 21 at SM North EDSA. Other gala premieres are on Monday, October 20 at SM Megamall for “Bacao”, Wednesday, October 22 at SM Megamall for “T’yanak” and Thursday, October 23 at SM North EDSA for “Sigaw sa Hatinggabi.”

The films’ directors, cast and crew will attend the premieres, which will be open to the public on first-come-first-served basis.