Ploning vs. Juday: A Cross-Section

While we have analyzed Juday as Ploning in Ploning the Movie, I’d like to discuss a cross-section of Ploning the character vs. Juday the Actress in this post. I was inspired by PinoyCentric.com’s blog post about Juday saying that Ploning is so different from the real-world character of Juday herself.

I just got overwhelmed with all the info I absorbed from Pep.ph about Juday, and I want to share a few observations about the similarities in Ploning the character and Juday the person:

• They are both very grounded. In the movie, Ploning is a no-bull lady who gets to the issue and works at a problem quietly. Juday, in real life, has patiently waited for her tax evasion case to be resolved, without the usual hysterics that some others in showbiz resort to.
• Both are surrounded by people puzzled about issues in their lives who resort to gossip in order to speculate about the truth, but they manage to skirt the issue anyway.
• Both answer people’s inquisitive questions concisely and with the truth.
• Ploning is crafty, in a quiet way, just as Juday is quite strategic in her decisions, as I’ve noticed. She recently turned down TAPE, Inc.’s offer for her to host the Eat, Bulaga! noontime show. I think this is pretty strategic, because if you’ve noticed, Juday had been opting to go for more mature, seasoned and meaty roles since 2003.
• Both have a certain kind of finesse in dealing with the people around them. I believe this owes to the fact that Juday has had to learn how to surmount intrigue, take things in stride, and just deal with it like a lady. As for Ploning, when we see her character in the movie, she is already in a state wherein she is capable of actually handling the people around her with a maturity that we rarely see in real life. I would imagine that European monarchs/Queens were taught to act like Ploning. As for Juday, she is definitely more three-dimensional, with her galawgaw moments, but she still deals with the press with a queenly veneer, as far as I’ve read.

Well, both dress pretty well, too. :p


As for the differences, I only see how Juday is a lot more vibrant and more down to earth and willing to show people her spots and freckles. Remember the homebody comments she made? She is more like one of the bourgeoisie than Ploning is, and yet, Ploning is much like a Queen who stepped down from her carriage in order to soil her hands and empathize with her people.

Much like Ploning, Juday is surrounded by people who love her. Direk Dante is a testament to how lovable she is; loyalty like his for Juday is rather rare nowadays. Only people who give much love elicit much love from others also.

Both Juday and Ploning’s strength lie in the fact that they are people who give of themselves for others. They are both marked by their generosity, down-to-earth-ness, and their humility.

I now know the reason why Juday’s fans like her, and like her a lot. :)