Vice Ganda is now on the path that the late Wenn Deramas envisioned for him.

Direk Wenn passed away on February 29, 2016. Ahead of his death anniversary, Vice recalls their closeness in an interview with Preview.

He believes his latest film, And The Breadwinner Is…, is a testament to his ability to go beyond quick laughs—just as Direk Wenn always knew he could.

“Hinulma [ako ni Direk Wenn] at inihanda niya ako para sa rutang mas maganda, mas malalim, at mas makabuluhan.”

And of the film’s director Jun Robles Lana, Vice adds, “Si Direk Jun naman yung nagturo sa akin patungo sa rutang iyon.”

The Vice Ganda that audiences enjoyed in the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has come so far from his first starring role in 2011’s The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin, which was helmed by Direk Wenn, who was also behind Vice’s hit movies Sisterakas (2012); Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy (2013); The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin (2014); and Beauty and the Bestie (2015).

Vice himself acknowledges that growth, calling And The Breadwinner Is… his best work to date.

He tells Preview, “Ito yung pinangarap ni Direk Wenn para sa akin.”

VICE GANDA’S THOUGHTS ON THE COMEDY GENRE

Lest critics think that And The Breadwinner Is… rides on the coattails of Vice’s established success, the comedian says he put in the work to make this his best project yet.

“Ito yung pelikula na binigyan ako ng pagkakataon magpakita ng iba.

“Kinailangan ko siyang aralin, paghusayan, at galingan. Nag-require siya ng maraming kakayahan sa akin.

“It challenged me physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually,”

His hard work was duly recognized as Vice received a Special Jury Citation at the MMFF Gabi ng Parangal held in December 2024.

But Vice seems to have mixed feelings about the citation, as he ponders in the Preview interview, “Bakit kailangan kong lumabas sa comedy just to be seen?

“Binigyan nila ako ng citation kasi nag-drama ako. So kung hindi ako nag-drama, hindi talaga nila ako mapapansin.

“I was seen because I did something else aside from comedy.”

The delayed recognition seems to stem from a certain prejudice against comedy, as Vice admits, “For the longest time, I felt like comedy was being disregarded as a legit genre.

“Pag sinabing comedy, feeling nila na ang babaw. Hindi ina-appreciate yung kagandahan ng comedy at ang kahalagahan niya as a genre of cinema.”

He candidly says, “Nasasaktan ako pag sinasabi nila na basura ang comedy. Hindi madali gumawa ng comedy.”

VICE GANDA ON BEING UNKABOGABLE

Vice’s showbiz achievements may have earned him the moniker “Unkabogable Phenomenal Box Office Superstar,” but losing out on the top spot of the 2019 MMFF gave Vice a chance to change his perspective on that heavy title.

That year, Miracle in Cell No. 7 came in first with PHP426M in gross ticket sales, while Vice’s The Mall, The Merrier placed second with PHP323M.

Vice recalls that this made him realize something he would not have learned by simply staying on top: “Sometimes you will have to lose in order to win. Sometimes you have to experience embarrassment in order to have pride.

“Depende kasi kung paano mo siya titignan.

“Even if you lose, you can still turn it into a win.”

While the moniker “Unkabogable Phenomenal Box Office Superstar” once came with the pressure of churning out one box office hit after another and breaking all sorts of records, Vice sees it differently today.

He states, “For me, I am still unkabogable because no one can do the things that I do. Because only I can do the things that I can do.”