After winning big at last year's Cinema One Originals Film Festival, "Paki" will be screened at this year's Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP). Dexter Doria bagged her very first lead role in "Paki," after previously playing supporting roles in more than a hundred films.

In an interview at the press conference of "Paki", Dexter remarked that she did not mind playing supporting characters in her projects in the past. "I used to do character roles, so supporting, so minsan sinasabi ko sa mga kaibigan ko kung nanood sila ng sine, 'Uy huwag kayong basta-basta pumunta sa C.R. ha baka hindi niyo mapanood eksena ko.' I used to laugh at it. I didn't mind, talagang ganon eh. Sa TV talagang mahahaba ang roles. But I was happy, artista ako, masaya ako. I was earning. I brought up my kids na ito ang nagpakain sa mga anak ko," she stated.

Even she was playing supporting roles in the past, numerous critics already noticed her stellar acting prowess and her outstanding screen presence. She was once nominated as FAMAS Best Supporting Actress for the movie "Inay" in 1988. Dexter played the role of Becky in the movie. 

She also starred in the Marilou Diaz-Abaya's "Moral" where she played a dangerous unpredictable mistress. She also headlined the movie in "Jaguar" (1979) as Chuchay, in "The Children of An Lac" (1980) as Miss Cho, in "Pasukuin si Waway" (1984) as Mrs. Marcelino, in "Estudyante Blues" (1989) as Benita, in "Kailangan Kita" (1992) as Mrs. Moreno, and in "Mga Munting Tinig" (2002) as Mrs. Pantalan.

In 2017, Dexter marked a big milestone in her career when she was nominated as Best Actress at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival for her performance in "Paki." 

The veteran actress confessed that she was initially nervous when she learned she would be playing the lead character in "Paki". "Natakot ako but I wanted to do it. Natakot ako but not in the sense na tatanggihan ko. Tatanggapin ko pero hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko kasi for the first time this was something new. Ano kaya ang gagawin ko sa role na 'to? So I had to ask for two special meetings with director Giancarlo (Abrahan). Sabi niya, 'Kaya mo 'yan'," she shared.

Dexter admitted that she thought she would never play a lead role anymore before "Paki" was offered to her. "Wala sa isip kong magbibida pa ako. Oo, matagal na. I didn't care. This was not an ego trip. It's a job. I need the job to bring up my kids and it's a job that I like to do and I was having fun and I was not asking for more. It's fine with me," she said.

The "Paki" lead star relayed that she was not the first choice for the movie, but she is happy about the fact that she landed the role. "Ang unang choce [ng direktor] si Nova Villa kasi comedienne. Tapos sabi ni Nova Villa hindi siya pwede. Tapos si Laurice Guillen, but she was taping sa kabila three times a week so hirap na hirap sila. [I'm the] third choice, [but] I am the best choice and the final choice in the end," she shared.

Catch "Paki" in Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino this week in cinemas nationwide! 

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