Judy Ann Santos, Edu Manzano talk pulling back the curtain on showbiz industry in 'Call My Manager'
Judy Ann Santos, Edu Manzano, RK Bagatsing, and more stars are stepping into a different kind of role in HBO Max's Call My Manager. Instead of playing an embattled underdog or a smooth-talking villain, these actors are playing characters closer to home: talent managers.
The stars in the series, which adapts the French comedy-drama Call My Agent, sat down with multiple outlets, including PhilSTAR L!fe to dive into what it was like to pull back the curtain, as the show follows talent handlers working at the fictional Shine Artist Management. Viewers don't only get to see how managers book gigs for celebrities, but they also get a glimpse of these workers' personal lives—which are as messy as you'd expect.
Call My Manager marks Santos' return to TV after appearing in Starla in 2019. The FAMAS-winning actress told L!fe that playing Andrea, a foul-mouthed, no-nonsense manager, was a lot of fun.
"This is my first time to actually be doing a character that's not on a teleserye basis, that's not based on an api-apihan character [na] hindi binubugbog, hindi sinasampal," she said.
"It is something that has really caught my attention for the simple reason that I wanted to really challenge myself. How can I create a character that I would love as well and I would also hate at some point?"
For Bagatsing, playing a manager for actors was like using "a different kind of muscle." In the show, he plays Gabriel, a softer and more nurturing manager—a contrast to his usual villain roles in teleseryes and movies.
"Gabriel was totally different from that. He cares deeply. He's always panicking. He's always not sure about what to do, but also, that's the fun of it. You get to experience new feelings, new emotions, and you get to do it with the entire cast," he said.
In the first episode of the series, which is now streaming on HBO Max, viewers are introduced to the chaotic lives of Andrea, who's (SPOILER ALERT) dealing with a breakup; Gab, who wants to spend time with his child; and Manzano's Matthew, who's keeping a lot of secrets.
"[If] you actually look at the lives of the managers dealing with people like us (actors), they have more color in their lives," Manzano said.
The series' director, Erik Matti, said that these colorful stories of people in talent agencies are what make the Philippine adaptation special.
"The way our talent agencies would work is everything is personal. Everything is about being emotional. And that creates a lot of problems, but at the same time, a lot of fun for us to mine in the plots and the characters," he said.
Matti added the decision to adapt the French series was also a chance to pay tribute to the industry.
"You don't know how emotional this is for us. For others, it might be just another show, but if we look at what we did for the episodes, for the scripts, for the nuances, and the characters we brought in, it is very emotional for us because it's a love letter to the industry we grew up with."
Meanwhile, Santos shared that she hopes those who watch the series will have a newfound appreciation for the showbiz industry.
"We do put a lot of heart and care in our craft. Same goes with our managers. When we do a project, when we do accept a project, we accept it with our whole heart," she said.
Apart from Santos, Manzano, and Bagatsing, the show features an ensemble cast, including Gina Alajar as Aleta Alfonso, Christiana Zaleta as Camille Vergara, and Raf Pineda as Chin Joaquin.
Actors are also making cameos as themselves and as clients of Shine Artist Management.
New episodes for Call My Manager drop every Thursday on HBO Max.
