Director Catherine Camarillo’s challenge to JC Santos in Meg & Ryan: ‘Show me something you’ve never done before’
Photos and text by Gavin Navarro
Media guests present at the official launch of Meg & Ryan (2025) on July 9, 2025, were surprised to see multi-nominated director Catherine Camarillo shed a tear during the teaser viewing. It was not a tear of grief, but of satisfaction, knowing that all the pieces of her puzzle had fallen into place to bring her vision to life.
The media launch was hosted by DJ Jhai Ho
“In a lot of my films, sobrang dami kong adjustments, compromises. Sobrang emotional ko kasi finally, talagang nakumpleto yung mga gusto kong makuha na requirements para sa vision ko sa film,” the director told Random Republika in an exclusive interview.
Camarillo cited factors such as the creative freedom given to her by the writers and production team, as well as being able to use the original soundtrack she had envisioned during pre-production — Torete, originally composed by Darwin Hernandez, from which she sought permission.
One of the most important pieces of her puzzle, she said, was being able to bring her characters to life through the very actors she had originally envisioned for the roles. With leading man JC Santos alongside Rhian Ramos, the production’s (Pocket Media Productions) hopes for a powerhouse duo came true.
Taking on a more complex leading man than typical Filipino romance films, Santos portrays Ryan Cañete — a 35-year-old virgin, a conservative draftsman in the throes of an early-onset midlife crisis — who crosses paths with Meg Zamonte (Ramos), a young, rich, and reckless woman in her late 20s.
According to the director, her focus throughout production was less on whether her two leads would spark chemistry and more on how she could unlock a side of Santos’ audiences had never seen before.
Camarillo recalled how she challenged Santos to reinvent himself for the role. She shared, “He has portrayed a lot of different roles already. So sabi ko sa kanya, ‘I want you to stick with the Ryan that I like, the Ryan that I want to see in this film. The way you speak, the way you present the millennial guy who is a virgin — gusto ko ipakita mo yun in a manner na ‘di mo pa nagagawa sa iba.’”
Unlike the typical mentor-mentee dynamic between actors and their director, Santos, Ramos, and Camarillo developed an unusual creative synergy, learning from one another as the process unfolded.
“Marami na silang napagdaanan na direktor na mas magaling kaysa sa akin, pero the level of respect that they gave me, yun ang isa sa natutunan ko — it goes the same way. If you’re respectful enough, give them due respect sa craft nila, ibibigay at ibibigay nila yun sayo,” Camarillo explained.
L-R: JC Santos, Catherine Camarillo, Rhian Ramos, Ces Quesada, Cris Villanueva, Jef Gaitan, Poca Osinaga
The film also boasts a diverse supporting cast, featuring Cedrick Juan, Ces Quesada, Cris Villanueva, Jef Gaitan, J-mee Katanyag, Steven Bansil, Poca Osinaga, and Alison Black.
Meg & Ryan opens in cinemas nationwide on August 6.
