At 47, Gladys Reyes is taking on a surprising first in her decades-long career — she’s starring in a full-length musical film.
More known for dramatic portrayals on screen, Gladys is taking on a role that not only challenges her as an actress but also nudges her out of her comfort zone as a performer. In “The Heart of Music,” an original Filipino musical film, she plays a free-spirited Kapampangan character named Madonna — and for the first time ever, she’ll be singing on screen.
“When (producer) Utmost called me about the project, my first reaction was, ‘Are you sure it’s going to be me?’” Gladys recalled with a laugh. “Sabi nila, ‘Oo, yes, we’re sure. Di ba kumakanta ka naman?’ Opo… sa videoke!”
While she’s quick to admit she’s not in the same league vocally as her co-stars — theater stalwart couple Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña — Gladys was drawn to the project because of its story. Not to mention the opportunity it presents to check off an item from her bucket list.
“They sent me a draft of the script and I saw that it was family-oriented. Bata pa lang ako, nanonood na ako ng ‘The Sound of Music.’ I’ve been watching musical theater productions for years and always dreamed of being part of a stage musical. Never did I imagine that my first would be a full-length musical movie.”
“The Heart of Music” is the latest in a streak of Kapampangan-themed films she’s been blessed to be part of — including “Apag” and “Kabaong.” “Medyo may swerte ako sa mga Kapampangan stories and I’m Kapampangan myself,” she said. “So when this came along, I really said yes.”
Fortunately, even before this came, Gladys has been taking vocal lessons at the UP Conservatory of Music, inspired by her son Christophe.
Christophe is signed under Star Pop, a sub-label of ABS-CBN Music, and has already begun releasing his own music on streaming platforms. Watching him pursue his passion stirred something in Gladys.
“I was inspired by Christophe,” she shared. “When his songs became available on Spotify, I felt like… it was my frustration from before, and now he’s living it.
“I told myself, why don’t I join Christophe in his voice lessons?”
She also confessed to having a long list of things she once planned to learn once she turned 40 — aside from singing, she also wanted to learn driving, swimming, biking — all put on hold when she got pregnant again. “Yun yung pahabol na blessing,” Gladys said.
“But when ‘The Heart of Music’ came along, it became my motivation to finally push through with it. I told myself, at 47, dapat magawa ko na yan.”
Taking on the role also came with a renewed sense of drive and dedication. “Nakakahiya naman kina Mr. Robert Seña and Ms. Isay Alvarez if you’re not even doing vocalization or preparing for the role properly. Of course, I want to do it right — with effort.”
For Gladys, “The Heart of Music” is more than just another acting project. It’s a reminder that learning doesn’t stop with age, and that dreams — no matter how long set aside — are always worth pursuing.
“It’s never too late to learn new things,” she said. “Especially the ones you’ve always wanted to do but, for some reason, never got to. This film came as a big blessing. Because now, I no longer have an excuse to delay things.”
It won’t be a surprise if she, somehow, inspires others to do the same.