MO Maryo De Los Reyes was supposed to do that, but his asking price was too high, so Nora suggested me.

FR Actually, the whole reason why "Bulaklak" was made was because the producer, Cherry Cobarrubias, wanted to put her daughter, Shyr Valdez, in a movie.

MO Shyr knew this, so she developed an attitude. The problem was, I couldn't do anything about it; she was the producer's daughter. So I had her killed.

NV I'm sorry?

MO (Laughing) I had her killed. I told her that her role would be more dramatic and more memorable if her character got pregnant and hanged herself (I was right, too). She agreed and I had her hang herself. End of problem.

FR I remember how perfect the casting of "Bulaklak" was. You had Nora. You had Mitch Valdez, as a lesbian prisoner. You had Zenaida Amador, of Repertory Philippines, as the bastonera, the head of the cellblock.

NV And German Moreno, emcee of That's Entertainment! as a sinister prison warden. Was that "Kuya" Germs first and only time to play a villain?

MO Yes.

FR Celia Rodriguez was so proud to have won a best supporting actress award at the Metro Manila Filmfest for that film. She knew she was against some very good performances, some of them from her own co-actors. All in all, there were about three of them from "Bulaklak" that were nominated for different best supporting actress awards, including Perla Bautista.

NV "Bulaklak" had wonderful ensemble acting.