In her three years of being a certified Kapamilya, Janine Gutierrez has already appeared in several ABS-CBN programs, through which she’s been able to exhibit her award-winning acting chops and versatility as an actress. And this year, we’re about to see her in another light as she stars in the upcoming teleserye Lavender Fields as Iris Buenavidez.

Almost a day after Dreamscape Entertainment revealed that she would be part of the cast through a new teaser that it published across its social media platforms, the Asia’s Rising Star passionately talked about her latest project in this interview with ABS-CBN News showbiz correspondent MJ Felipe.

Their conversation commenced with Janine confirming that she’s indeed playing a kontrabida and enthusing that this is something that she has never done before since it’s her first time ever to play this kind of role. Compared to her Dirty Linen character Alexa, she divulged that Iris is going to be fiercer and unrelenting.

“Every villain is a hero in their own story. So, I think na something that I find exciting about the projects that we have here in Dreamscape and in ABS-CBN is parang it’s not just one good person, like walang hero, walang villain na talagang black and white. Everybody is gray, and that’s how people are, di ba? Wala naman talaga ‘yong 100% [na mabait], 100% bad. I think, gano’n din ‘yong mga characters dito sa ‘Lavender Fields,’” she stated.

When asked if she’s already mentally prepared to take on Iris Buenavidez, she exclaimed, “No, hindi pa!” and went to impart that she actually had to repeat her voice over three times during her recording prior to the interview since it’s her first time to be a “bad girl.”

As MJ mentioned that she will be working with Asian Academy Creative Awards 2022 Best Actress Jodi Sta. Maria, Janine enthusiastically recounted the moment when she was asked during her contract renewal with ABS-CBN who her dream co-star was, the first name that she blurted out was Jodi. Thus, she was truly delighted when that dream of hers immediately came true.

“Sobrang grateful ko talaga. I’m so grateful to Sir Deo and Dreamscape and excited ako [para] sa mga viewers to show them a new kind of drama and action that they haven’t seen before,” she remarked as MJ pointed out that the upcoming series serves as her third major project on ABS-CBN.

She continued, “Nakaka-proud to be a part of stories na uniquely Filipino, tulad ng ‘Dirty Linen,’ tulad nitong ‘Lavender Fields’ na talagang may mga tema na mapapakita natin sa ibang bansa kung ano ba ‘yong nangyayari rito on a world-class level.”