Thai actor Max Nattapol embraces PH showbiz

When Thai actor Max Nattapol touched down in Manila on Monday, he couldn't believe what awaited him — a jam-packed crowd of screaming Filipino fans, all excited to see him and, of course, his first locally produced movie, the Viva Films horror flick "Kuman Thong," which opens in cinemas nationwide today.

It was, therefore, no surprise that Max was visibly pumped and beaming from ear to ear when he walked into a solo pocket media conference later that day, just before he was due at the movie's red carpet premiere alongside "Kuman Thong" writer and director, top actor Xian Lim, and his Filipino castmates at SM The Block's cinemas.

Max's first foray into Philippine cinema — a journey he speaks about with palpable excitement and high regard — immediately sees him in the lead role with Viva's Cindy Miranda. They play engaged couple Sai Chon and Clara, respectively and emerge in the film when Clara travels to Thailand with her daughter Katie (Althea Ruedas) to seek the blessing of Sai Chon's mother on their upcoming wedding.

While supposedly a happy occasion, Clara still finds herself grieving over her late son, Isaac (Emman Esquivel) and convinces Sai Chon to bring her to a shaman who can apparently help her.

After performing a ritual on the boy's ashes, the shaman gives Clara a small statue called a kuman thong — a common household amulet from spiritual Thai folklore — which promptly sets ablaze a series of unsettling and ominous events in the couple and their little girl's lives.

"A kuman thong is shaped like a baby, and many people have it in Thailand as part of religion and spiritual belief," Max eagerly explained when asked at the media con what he knew of the mysterious statue, which features prominently in Xian's movie. "It is believed that the soul of an unborn baby is inside the statue and that it can bring luck when you pray to it, but if not respected, it can cause people harm.

"I do not own a kuman thong, but my sister does, and she said it helped her get a bonus at work," Max chuckled as he went on.

He cautioned, though, about the opposite effect among owners who lack regard for the amulet, as the movie will show. He added that he helped Xian perform a few rituals with him so the film shoot would go smoothly.

And happily, smoothly and wonderfully did Max's first experience with an all-Filipino production go.

Max said his time on set was overwhelmingly positive despite the film's dark theme. While the movie was entirely shot on his side of Asia, the actor nonetheless expressed, "Filming in Thailand with a Filipino crew was a fantastic cultural exchange. We learned so much from each other, and I hope the audience can feel that collaborative spirit when they watch the movie."

The handsome 30-year-old from Bangkok enjoys a diverse and widespread career in his home country. He graduated from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Communication and speaks English and Japanese in addition to his native language. Engaging and energetic, his entertainment career began on a late-night variety show on Thailand's Channel 5, which led to his breakout role in the country's first-ever BL (boy love) series, "Bad Romance," in 2016.

In succeeding years, Max continued to build a reputation for his dynamic performances, particularly in the BL genre and has since become a popular figure in Southeast Asian entertainment.

In fact, Max's visit to Manila this week was not his first, having gained a significant following here as early as 2018 when his then series "Together with Me" became a hit among Filipinos.

"The Philippines is the first country I've been to and that was back in April 2018 for a fan meeting. I was deeply touched by the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people. They made me feel at home as you all have done again this second time," he said appreciatively.

When asked how he found working with Xian as a director, Max laughingly replied, "I didn't know Xian was famous here until Althea told me about it.

"But once we started working together, I experienced his kindness and professionalism. Xian guided us very well in terms of his vision for Kuman Thong. He would send me pictures and say, 'Max, it should be like this,' and his direction really made the shoot smooth and enjoyable."

Max was equally complimentary about his co-stars, Cindy Miranda and Althea Ruedas. "Cindy is incredible," he said, describing a particularly intense scene. "There was a scene where I felt terrified by her acting, and that powerful performance only helped me to do better in my role."

As for Althea, who has always stunned audiences across many horror movies, Max described her as "the best young actress [he's] I've ever worked with," so much so that he believes she would win an Oscar someday.

Given the Thai actor's glowing report of his Philippine movie experience, it was no surprise when he said he would love to do another movie with a local production.

"I'd love to work here again," Max enthused, "perhaps even in a BL series directed by Xian."

And when someone in the crowd promptly teased, "How about a Vivamax project?" Max — after being told it was the racy movie label under Viva Films — was briefly taken aback, only to respond, "Oh wow, OK!"

It certainly looks like we'll be seeing more of Max Nattapol in the near future, but before then, catch him today in "Kuman Thong" in cinemas across the Philippines.