After T.V. Carpio, who has a role in the Hollywood movie musical Across the Universe, another Filipino actress is cast in an international movie. She is Mercedes Cabral who has been handpicked by Koren director Park Chan-wook to play an important role in the horror film Thirst.
The acclaimed Korean director is responsible for some of South Korea's critically acclaimed films, like Joint Security Area (2000), Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003), the "Cut" episode of the horror trilogy Three...Extremes (2004), Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005), and I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK (2006).
The 48-year-old director won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes International Film Festival for Oldboy.
Mercedes, a 21-year-old Fine Arts student at the University of the Philippines, is quite popular in the independent film circuit. She won as best supporting actress at the 2007 UP Inbox TV and Radio Festival for her performance in the digital film Bitin.
"Hindi po ako makapaniwala na mapipili ako. Nagpadala lang po kami ng screener ko at nagustuhan naman nila. I am kinda nervous," Mercedes said in an interview with abs-cbnnews.com about her inclusion in the South Korean film.
Mercedes has just finished the indie film Baliw and will also be part of Brillante Mendoza's gay film titled Servando.
Thirst will be topbilled by actress Kim Ok Bin, who has starred in several TV series and movies.