Kapuso-turned-Kapamilya actresses Lovi Poe and Janine Gutierrez are set to team up in an upcoming iWant TFC series titled Sleep with Me.
This was announced during iWant TFC’s Unwrapping event earlier today, December 10, 2021, where the ABS-CBN streaming platform launched the titles it will release in the first half of 2022.
This will be the first time that Janine and Lovi will take part in an LGBT-themed series and the first time that they will work together even though they both came from GMA-7.
Both stars transferred to ABS-CBN in 2021, with Janine signing in January and Lovi in September.
The project is co-produced by Dreamscape Entertainment and Project 8 Projects, helmed by Dan Villegas.
The series’ director, Sam Lee, said that coming from the title, the series is a “love story that takes place entirely in the nighttime.”
Sleep with Me will explore “interabled relationships,” which Direk Sam explains, “Without spoiling anything, I think Janine and Lovi’s characters both have their own set of issues that they deal with that makes them excluded from society at large.
“So parang it’s people whose stories don’t get told a lot.”
WHY LOVI AND JANINE SAID YES
It did not take long before Lovi and Janine said yes to doing Sleep with Me.
Lovi explained that she wanted to work again with Dan Villegas, who directed her in the 2010 Cinemalaya movie Mayohan, which gave Lovi her first best actress award.
On Direk Sam, Lovi said, “I was supposed to do a project with her years ago and that’s probably one of the things na ni-regret ko na hindi ako nagkaroon ng time para gawin iyon.
“Now, we’re finally here, and, of course, Janine, who’s my sister din, I’m just really excited to work with her because I know how talented she is and she’s very passionate with her work.
“So, I just want to work with the best of the best and here we are. I’m just really blessed to be surrounded by these people.”
Janine, who is a good friend of Direk Sam, recalled, “Sam and I we’re supposed to do a project also before and it didn’t push through and it was… alam mo yung pag may project na you feel so bad na hindi natuloy?
“So, I was always holding on na eventually, the chance will come and here it is and with Lovi pa who I always admired! I swear, idol kita! Yuck, nagbolahan tayong apat! Hahaha!
“Anyway, the story is really something I don’t think has been shown in the Filipino setting, and I’m so excited for people to learn more about this topic and alam ko, maraming makaka-relate.
“At the core, it’s a love story na talagang you’ll get attached to and it will make you feel so it’s really the story at heart.”
STEAMY SCENES
During the event, host Bianca Gonzalez asked Direk Sam if Lovi and Janine will have steamy scenes.
Direk Sam explained, “Well, I don’t think steamy, given me as a director, I don’t think I describe it as steamy.
“It will be something that I am going to do for the first time. But I think, being that it’s me, I want to integrate other things like consent and how do you navigate these types of situations when it’s two women.
“I don’t think steamy will be the right word, but it’s definitely something to look forward to.”
Both Janine and Lovi are excited to be part of a project supporting the LGBT community.
Lovi said, “I think one of the reasons that I’ve always wanted to do a project like this is that I’ve always supported my friends and a lot of people who actually want to love and equally have the right to love who they want to love and be happy.
“So I think I fully support it and I’m just grateful that I get to show my support to doing this.”
Janine added, “Same, of course, we want everyone to feel free to love who they love. And I’m so happy we have filmmakers like Sam and Direk Dan who show us different stories that some people may not really know about, and I’m really happy to be part of this.”
ABS-CBN and iWant TFC have yet to release the premiere date of Sleep with Me in 2022.