SUPERSTAR Nora Aunor is back before the camera as they resume the taping of her hit GMA-7 soap, “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit”. Lock in taping has started today in a resort in San Mateo, Rizal. Ate Guy plays Mercedes and she’s with co-stars Mylene Dizon who plays her daughter Magnolia and Kyline Alcantara who plays her granddaughter Maggie.
“Nakakatuwang makitang muli ang mga kasama ko sa show, pati na si Direk Laurice Guillen,” says Ate Guy. “Bale pitong buwan ding natigil ang pagte-taping namin dahil sa pandemya and we’re all glad na nagkita-kita na kami uli sa pagpapatuloy ng aming taping.”
“Bilangin” is loosely based on a movie made by Ate Guy in 1989 with the same title, where she played the dual roles of Magnolia and Maggie. But the story has now been expanded for the TV series to be the story of three women from different generations and their respective struggles in life, with Ate Guy as the grandmother, Mylene as the mom and Kyline as the granddaughter.
Wasn’t Ate Guy afraid of the virus and her health as she goes back to work?
“Siempre, hindi maiiwasang mag-alala lalo’t may asthma ako, but then, magaling naman ang GMA management sa pag-aalaga nila sa kanilang mga artista at staff,” she says. “Talagang we are all doing all the necessary health protocols para masiguro ang kaligtasan naming lahat sa lock in taping. Naka-mask kami and face shields, may kanya-kanya kaming quarters, may health workers around to monitor us, so confident kaming we’ll all be safe while we are working on the set.”
Also part of the drama series are Zoren Legaspi, Gabby Eigenmann and Yasser Marta as the men in their lives. Hopefully, if all would go well, they would be able to finish their lock in taping in two weeks and ardent followers of “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit” can expect the show to be back on the air by late next month.
Before this, the pre-program of “Bilangin” in Afternoon Prime, “Prima Donnas”, has also resumed their taping with Direk Gina Alajar, lock in style, and it lasted for three weeks. Now, also undergoing lock-in taping is the primetime show, “Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday”.
Ian opposite of what he plays onscreen
IAN Veneracion says life in showbiz really turns like a wheel. “When I started as a child actor, ako ‘yung son sa title ng ‘Joey & Son’,” he says. “Now, in my new show sa TV5, ako na yung dad sa ‘Oh My Dad’. I’ve come full circle, haven’t I? And since I don’t intend to retire from the industry, baka dumating ‘yung araw na magiging lolo naman ang papel ko. Hahahaha!”
In “Oh My Dad”, he’s a former top cager who stayed in the States for a while and when he returned home, three young people showed up to claim he’s their long lost dad: Sue Ramirez, Louise Abuel and Adrian Lindayag.
“I was sowing my wild oats as a younger man and hindi ko alam, may mga naging anak pala ako,” he says.
In real life, is he also a ladies man? “No, not at all. I’m a faithful husband to Pam, my wife of 26 years. But like in the show, I also have three kids, pero iisa lang ang mother. I cannot imagine myself having kids with different mothers. Good boy po ako, maniwala kayo’t hindi. Hahahaha!”
As a teen actor, he was built up by Seiko Films as an action star and when he matured, he did dramas in soaps. How is it doing a sitcom like “Oh My Dad”?
“Okay lang, hindi naman ako nanibago. Unang-una, ang director namin, si Jeffrey Jeturian, was also my director in ‘Be Careful with My Heart’ which ran for several years. Kaya sanay na ako sa kanya. He’s really one of the best directors we have today and I trust him all the way. Tapos, the script is really funny at ang gagaling ng mga kasama ko, from Sue. Louise and Adrian as my kids to Dimples Romana, Gloria Diaz and Ariel Ureta. So, saan ka pa? Ang gagaling nilang lahat and I feel so lucky being able to work with all of them. Mabilis ang trabaho namin, lalo na nga’t lock in taping kami na magkakasama kami lahat sa isang resort, Fontana, where we stayed in their own villas and we were able to tape several episodes right away. Alagang-alaga kami ng aming producer, Atty. Joji Alonso of Quantum Films.”
“Oh My Dad” will start airing this Saturday, October 24, at 5 PM on TV5. Don’t fail to see its rollicking pilot episode.
