MANILA, Philippines?Filmmaker-actress Laurice Guillen was in a hurry to get home after the story conference of the new digital movie, ?Karera.?

?I want to have lunch with Johnny,? she explained to director Adolf Alix Jr. That?s husband and fellow actor Johnny Delgado, recently diagnosed with lymphoma. ?[It?s] a treatable disease,? Guillen pointed out.

Worst part

?He?s okay naman,? she said. ?He?s getting the necessary treatment. The worst part was when we [still] didn?t know what it was. Now we?ve become even closer.?

Delgado undergoes chemotherapy. ?He just had his first chemo and the next session will be in three weeks,? Guillen related. ?We know what to expect on a daily basis.?

She has accepted two projects of late?this lead role in ?Karera,? which is an indie film, and a directorial comeback via a Star Cinema project.

Guillen deftly straddles the indie and mainstream worlds, as she does work in front of the camera and behind it.

The last time she appeared on the big screen was in 2003?s ?Noon at Ngayon?; the last time she directed a film was in 2004?s ?Santa Santita.?

??Karera? is my first indie film as an actress,? said the Cinemalaya festival director.

?Cinemalaya has exposed me to a lot of fresh stories and filmmakers,? Guillen said. ?I?ve been following the work of Adolf, who?s a graduate of Cinemalaya. When he told me about this project while we were chatting on Facebook, I didn?t think twice about acting again.?

Top consideration

Details concerning the Star Cinema project are still being finalized, she said. ?As of now, it?s a suspense-drama with a love triangle twist.? Initial reports point to Gabby Concepcion, Angelica Panganiban and Derek Ramsay as possible lead stars.

?Before accepting any project these days, my most important consideration is the work schedule because I want to be with Johnny as often as I can,? she said.

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