AT A GLANCE
- Meet Jennifer Lee. Jennifer started as a sexy singer when she joined the all- girl-group Viva Hotbabes. She then became a sexy actress for Viva Films but promised her parents that she will finish a degree. After graduating Culinary Arts in Enderun College and setting up The Healthy Cheffy, an online food delivery service that caters to healthy food, she decided to accept the Movie “Maria” where she plays “Miru” a Filipina assassin. To be honest, she was so good that her scenes were my favorite parts of Maria.
Jennifer Lee
I am sure you have never met a female action star in the Philippines. While you may recognize Hollywood Asian action icons like Michelle Yeoh and Lucy Liu, finding a Filipina who can genuinely "kick-ass" has been quite scarce - until this moment.
Meet Jennifer Lee. Jennifer started as a sexy singer when she joined the all- girl-group Viva Hotbabes. She then became a sexy actress for Viva Films but promised her parents that she will finish a degree. After graduating Culinary Arts in Enderun College and setting up The Healthy Cheffy, an online food delivery service that caters to healthy food, she decided to accept the Movie “Maria” where she plays “Miru” a Filipina assassin. To be honest, she was so good that her scenes were my favorite parts of Maria.
This is probably the reason why Blu Arts Production director Bona Fajardo chose her to play the lead role in this new movie entitled Babaylan, “This is my second time working with Direk Bona Fajardo. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing experience in Japan when I worked on the film Steal. Now, I am once again creating something extraordinary with Babaylan.It is truly an honor to work with Direk Bona, as I greatly admire his creativity and hard work. He also maintains a calm and patient demeanor on the set. During the shooting of Babaylan, I just recovered from Covid. I am grateful for the encouragement and inspiration I received from Direk Bona and the team.
In this movie, I portray the character of Josefina Baliwag, who comes from a lineage of shaman warriors known as Babaylan. She served as a spiritual leader of the rebels during the Filipino-American war. During this time, she fell in love with Manuel Guerrero, who betrayed her and shot her. Despite being wounded, Josefina summoned her remaining strength to communicate with the forest and requested its protection from the enemies. Not only did the forest shield her body, but it also resurrected her, granting her immortality. She lived a long life until the present day, when she encounters someone who bears a striking resemblance to Manuel Guerrero. To discover what happens next, watch the movie!”
I asked our singer-turned-DJ how she felt being given a break to portray a lead role after almost two decades in the business. “Portraying an action heroine has always been a dream of mine. I consider myself blessed to have been given this project, which allows me to showcase my talent and fighting skills. I have always been involved in athletics, having been a part of the high school and collegiate taekwondo varsity teams. Additionally, I received training in PUMA Sikadsu (Philippine Union Martial Arts Association), which provided me with a background in arnis fighting and helped me land the role of Josefina. Aside from my fighting skills, portraying a Babaylan is an honor. I firmly believe that Babaylans existed in the past, and there may still be modern-day Babaylans today. These include empowered and influential women in our community who are dedicated to assisting and supporting those in need.
The world premiere of Babaylan is scheduled for July 26, on Viva One, an All-in-One Entertainment Streaming Platform by Viva! This exciting action movie stars Marco Gallo, Andrew Muhlach, and Fabio Ide, and is directed by Bona Fajardo of Blu Arts Production.
