More than a decade after their last collaboration, Nadine Lustre and Vice Ganda find themselves sharing the screen once again—this time in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025 entry Call Me Mother, directed by award-winning filmmaker Jun Lana. For Nadine, the project marked a rare full-circle moment, one that instantly felt right even before she knew who she would be playing.

She recalled how the offer was presented to her. “Hindi pa sinasabi sa akin kung ano ang role ko, ang sabi sa akin ‘Nak, gusto nila magpitch ng role sa iyo kasama mo si Ate Vice,’ sabi ko, ‘Game po!’ Hindi pa sinabi yung role,” she shared, laughing at how quickly she said yes. When she was later informed she would be portraying a mother, a wave of hesitation hit her—but not strong enough to outweigh her desire to reunite with Vice. “Mas nanaig sa akin na gusto ko makatrabaho si Ate Vice.”

Their history goes back to Petrang Kabayo (2010) and Beauty and the Bestie(2015), films that shaped a certain era of mainstream Pinoy comedy. For Nadine, saying yes again felt natural. “Mayroon kasi na baka maisip kasi na ma-typecast ako… Hindi ko na inisip iyon and sabi ko na lang na ‘Game po’ kasi gusto ko talaga makawork ulit si Ate Vice… Hindi ako papayag na hindi ko makakasama (ulit) si Ate Vice.”

Becoming ‘Nanay’: Nadine Steps Into Motherhood Onscreen

Though she embraced the role with enthusiasm, Nadine admitted that playing a young mother required careful emotional groundwork. She leaned on friends who became parents early, trying to understand how they navigated motherhood while still discovering themselves.

“Ang dami kong tinanong na friends ko na I guess kaedad ko na naging nanay sa maagang edad… Ako kasi 32 na ako and I feel like I’m not done growing up,” she said. Reflecting on her own mother—who had her at 21—gave Nadine deeper insight. “Ngayon iniimagine ko kung ano pinagdaanan niya noong 20s din siya… hindi talaga madali iyon. For her to actually give up a lot for me, sobrang saludo talaga sa moms.”

She admitted with disarming honesty: “Kung ngayon, tatanungin niyo ako ngayon, hindi ko talaga kaya iyon.”

Vice Ganda on Working With Nadine: ‘Inspiring and Intimidating’

For Vice Ganda, returning to a dramatic setting alongside Nadine was both a challenge and a gift.

“Positive kasi kapag gumagawa ng dramatic scenes hindi siya ang strength ko… so kapag nagkaroon ako ng katuwang sa eksena na katulad ni Nadine na mahusay, malaking tulong iyon sa akin,” he explained.

He spoke at length about the power of being paired with a skilled dramatic actor, citing Nadine, Eugene Domingo, and Gladys Reyes. “Yung magagaling na artista… titingnan ka pa lang o hahawakan ka pa lang mayroon ka na nararamdaman.”

And yet, the pressure was undeniable. “Nakakapressure kasi alam mo na magaling siya. Nakakapressure kasi ang dami niyang Best Actress awards… kaya kailangan ko iprove sa kaniya na kaya kong sumabay.”

But all that tension disappeared once the cameras rolled. “Kapag magakakeksena na kami wala na. Naglalaho na yung agam-agam ko kasi iba yung suporta niya sa akin… may malaking positibong epekto sa akin yung kaeksena ko siya.”

A Holiday Offering With Heart

Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Lucas Andalio, Mika Salamanca, Brent Manalo, Klarisse De Guzman, Shuvee Etrata, River Joseph, Esnyr Ranollo, MC Muah, Iyah Mina, John Lapus, Carmi Martin, and Chanda Romero, Call Me Motherpromises a mix of laughter, tenderness, and holiday warmth.

Vice offers audiences a simple assurance: “We made sure na tatawa and makukurot ang puso niyo. This is a comedy with a big heart.”

Call Me Mother premieres nationwide on December 25 as part of MMFF 2025—a reunion film years in the making, but perfectly timed for the season when stories about love, family, and second chances resonate the most.