In Patient X, the latest horror movie by Hollywood-recognized director Yam Laranas, Miriam Quiambao plays Nurse Betty, the hospital staff in charge of patient X, an aswang incarcerated in the basement of the hospital where she works.

Patient X was shot in Boys Town, Marikina City, a favorite haunt of ghost hunters during Halloween due to reports of paranormal activity in the area. It was no surprise then that the cast and crew of the movie experienced frightening events there.

Heart Evangelista, for instance, was initially slated to play the patient X character, but she quit the role when she had harrowing nightmares after her first taping day. Cristine Reyes replaced her.

Miriam said she contemplated quitting the movie a day after Heart left due to the same reason.

"Naiisip ko rin pero may commitment kasi ako," she told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) this afternoon, Oct. 15, in the presscon for the movie held at Dulcinea, Tomas Morato. "E kasi sobrang intense ng role. Binangungot ako... after ng first day ni Heart Evangelista."

She said she'd rather not elaborate on the nightmare since she still feels stressed thinking about it.

"Basta super stressed lang ako na hindi ako makatulog. Para ngang ayoko na siyang isipin na nakaka-stress, na nakaka-paranoid. Ganun," she said.

The beauty queen added that only prayer helped her to continue the 22 days left to shoot the whole movie.

"Nagdasal ako. Mabuti naman e pino-protektahan ako," she added. "Sa church kasi sinasabi i-rebuke lang yung mga condemnation [sic], yung mga devil, ganyan."

The producers of the movie—Viva Films, GMA Films, and Rgutz Productions—were the most protective. They even employed a "prayer warrior" on the set so that the staff could cope with "emergency situations."

"Ang security naman namin, meron kaming isang prayer warrior na nandun sa set para in case merong mangyari, may exorcism or something, mayro'ng taong makakagawa nun," she explained.

But director Yam Laranas did not skimp on the scares. Miriam said his goal was "to scare audiences," so she had no choice but to give the role her best.

"In-internalize ko yung character tapos tinakot ko talaga yung sarili ko," she said.

HOLLYWOOD DREAM. When Yam Laranas's last horror movie Sigaw made it to a Hollywood version via The Echo, kapuso actress Iza Calzado was part of the supporting foreign cast. Is Miriam Quiambao ready to do the same?

"Naku! Sana pag napansin ako dito, of course!" she exclaimed. "Oo nga. Kakayanin natin. Ano na lang, hold on na lang to faith."