It's the most wonderful gift an actress can receive in this day and age of economic scarcity in filmlandia.
Dancing Queen Pia Moran knows about this and is thankful to people who still believe in her after a series of fiascos on drug cases, a vehicular accident that nearly destroyed her heart-shaped face and a sex video scandal.
Imagine getting an offer to land as a title roler in a film.
Her never-say-die attitude in the face of adversities has finally paid off.
Although Pia has been featured in various tentpoles in varying degrees of stellar engagement typically cameo roles after her hiatus, "Lola Magdalena (Grandma Magdalene)" came at the most unexpected moment in time.
"Hindi ko inasahan ito (I didn't expect this)," exclaimed Pia in a phone interview a few nights ago.
"Lola Magdalena" is a highly dramatic vehicle about the oldest profession in the world known to men--prostitution.
Yet it has a twist--the flesh trade among elderly or mature women.
Moran plays a hooker ala-Xaviera Hollander along with fellow prostitute characters of equally talented actresses as Gloria Diaz, Liza Lorena, Sunshine Cruz and Perla Bautista.
"Si Direk Joel Lamangan ang tumawag sa akin. Nagulat na lang ako sa kanyang tawag. Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya pati kay Dennis Evangelista (It was director Joel Lamangan who called me. I was surprised by his call. I thank him as well as Dennis Evangelista)," enthused Pia.
Dennis is the screenwriter of the project.
Interestingly, Moran is billed above the title along with her fellow actresses.
What a feat for a nearly forgottem star as Pia Moran.