Jodi Sta. Maria loves to wade into untested waters, which is why she readily accepted Lavender Fields when it was pitched to her.

“This is the first action-drama role that I’m going to do,” she mused in an interview with MJ Felipe recently.

For Sta. Maria, it is no brainer as the titular role of Lavender Fields is something that does not easily fall into an actor’s lap.

Sta. Maria revealed that she accepts projects based on a gut-feel.

“Isa sa mga bagay na laging nagpapaoo sa akin sa isang proyekto is ‘yung fact na kapag kinabahan ako. Kapag naka-feel ako ng ‘shucks parang hindi ko ito kayang gawin.’ All the more na gugustuhin ko siyang gawin (Of the many things that make me say yes to a project is the fact that I get nervous. When I feel ‘shucks, I feel like I can’t do this.’ All the more that I will do it),” she said..

What excites Sta. Maria all the more are the “excellent actors” she will be working with in the series.

“’Yun pa ‘yung lalong mas nagpapa-excite, na makasama ko sila. Hindi lang sa craft nila, mabubuting tao itong mga makakasama ko (That makes me more excited to work with them. Not only in their craft, they’re good people that I will be working with),” she said.

The 2022 Asian Academy Creative Awards’ best actress acknowledged the fact that working in a project that’s outside her comfort zone gives a big pressure.

“Pressure? Yes kasi bago ang material. Hindi ito ang comfort zone ko. Ang gagaling ng nga artistang makakasama ko. Pressure, yes, because lagi kong iniisip (kung) mapu-pull off ko ba ito? Kapag lahat na ng pressure na ganyan maiisip ko or dumadating, nakakalma ako doon sa fact na alam ko na at this stage in my life, kapag tumatanggap ako ng proyekto buong puso ininibigay ko. I am fully committed to the project (Pressure? Yes, because the material is new. This is not my comfort zone. My co-actors are good. Pressure, yes because I always think if I can pull it off. If all the pressure is like that I will think or it comes, I am calmed by the fact that at this stage in my life when I accept a project I give it my all),” she said.

For Sta. Maria, accepting a project is not all about bread tripping or wanting to prove oneself.

“Minsan hindi na nga tungkol sa pera or hindi na may gusto kang patunayan. Ang gusto nating iwan, eh, ‘yung magandang legacy, magandang body of work na kapag napanood tayo ng susunod na salinlahi, makikita nila, mai-inspire sila na gawin or sumunod sa mga yapak natin. Na pag-igihin, pagbutihin at mahalin ang kanilang mga trabaho (Sometimes it’s not about the money or that you want to prove something. What we want to leave is a good legacy, beautiful body of work so that when the new generation watch it they will see, they will be inspired to do or follow our footsteps. To better, to improve and love their work),” she explained.

In another video where it showed her training, the actress revealed that her role is physically taxing as it entails action scenes.

“Maraming paghahanda ‘yung kailangan for this new project. Physical requirement, kailangan nating mag-training. Paulit-ulit mo siyang gagawin hanggang sa ma-familiarize mo ang sarili mo sa kanya. Hindi mo kailangang mabilis, kailangan magawa mo nang tama (There are so many preparations needed for this new project. Physical requirements, we need some training. I will do it a couple of times until I am familiar with it. I need not be fast, I need to do it right).