‘Pero dahil dito, sobrang bumalik ang fire, ang passion, ang commitment ko sa career ko. — Ruru Madrid’
RURU Madrid is proud to lead the huge cast of GMA’s expensive action-adventure series, “Lolong,” that will replace “First Lady” on primetime starting July 4. The show is inspired by the real Lolong, the largest salt water crocodile in the world that measured more than 20 feet in length and was captured in Agusan in September 2011. In the series, Ruru is named Lolong and the crocodile is named Dakila. The story centers on the unusual friendship that developed between them.
“Maraming pagsubok, maraming delays na pinagdaanan ang show na ito,” says Ruru during the show’s Zoom press con. “About three years in the making ito. The pandemic came at laging may dumarating na problema. Binagyo ang set namin, hindi natuloy. Tapos, biglang may nag-positive sa cast members. It came to a point na nawalan na ako ng gana sa career ko. Sabi ko, baka hindi talaga ito ang career na bagay for me. Kasi my last show was ‘TODA One I Love’ in 2019. Ang tagal na. Kaya gusto ko nang bumalik sa pag-aaral that time. But I prayed. And people told me, huwag kang sumuko. This is my 10th year in showbiz at ito ang project na ibinigay sa akin na napakalaki at lumabas na napakaganda kaya I’m very thankful. I learned so much from the show. Lahat pala ng pagsubok na dumating, it was just a test. Napilay ako rito, nakatapak ako ng pako, nagkakasakitan sa fight scenes, nagkadulas-dulas dahil maputik ang location. Pero dahil dito, sobrang bumalik ang fire, ang passion, ang commitment ko sa career ko. Mas tumibay ako dahil sa ‘Lolong.’
Anumang pagsubok pa na darating ngayon, kakayanin ko na.”
The big cast of “Lolong” includes Christopher de Leon as the corrupt Gov. Armando Banzon; Shaira Diaz as Elsie, the childhood friend of Lolong; Arra San Agustin as Bella a travel blogger from Manila who goes to research on the giant crocodile; Jean Garcia as Madam Donna, the abusive wife of Boyet de Leon; Paul Salas as Martin, son of Boyet and Jean who will run for mayor; and Bembol Roco as Narsing, father of Lolong.
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Abdul Rahman was a runner-up in “Starstruck 7” but he now gets lots of projects with GMA. This is a big help for him after his mom had a stroke and a blood clot had to be removed from her brain. He’s thankful that many GMA stars helped him financially in their medical expenses.
“I was doing ‘Legal Wives’ po when it happened at isa sa pinakamalaki ang contribution was Kuya Dennis Trillo,” he says. “Ang laki talaga ng naitulong niya sa amin so I want to thank him and all the other Kapuso stars who helped us. Mas okay na ngayon ang mom.
She can now talk again.”
Abdul is currently in the hit afternoon drama, “Raising Mamay,” opposite his ka-love team, Shayve Sava. Now, he’ll also be seen on primetime in the new GTV family sitcom, “Tols,” that starts airing on June 25, 7 p.m.
“I feel so lucky to be chosen as part of ‘Tols’ kasi ang saya-saya niyang gawin,” says Abdul.
“Laging good vibes ang taping namin at bawat episode that we do.”
“Tols” is the story of the Macaspac triplets: Uno (Kelvin Miranda), Dos (Shaun Salvador) and Third (Abdul Rahman) who grew up separately and became completely estranged from each other. Their mom Barbie (Rufa Mae Quinto) leave them to their relatives in order to work abroad and give them a good life. When Barbie returns home after several years, she wishes to reunite with her sons and wants to win back their hearts.
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Ayanna Misola gets her most demanding role to date in “Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili,” a remake of a movie first made by Dina Bonnevie in 1989.
“Mahirap talaga, kasi the character I play, si Albina, is possessed by a spirit and she displays three different personalities,” she says. “First shooting day namin, habang kaeksena ko si Ava Mendez, na siyang nagpo-possess sa akin, I had an anxiety attack.
Medyo heavy ang scene, kailangan kong mag-act na nahihirapan akong huminga, and while we’re doing it, unti-unti, biglang namamanhid ang buong katawan ko. But I tried na ituloy ko lang ang acting, hanggang hindi ko na kinaya, napaiyak na lang ako kasi sobrang heavy ng eksena. Nag meltdown ako.”
The film’s director, Roman Perez Jr., says he got really worried. “Natakot ako. Akala ko, sinasapian na talaga si Ayanna kasi namumutla siya, hindi makapagsalita, and when her blood pressure was checked, sobrang taas. Sabi ko, matapos pa kaya namin ang movie?
May exorcism scene pa naman kami later. We’re shooting the movie in a very old house, baka may spirit na pumapasok talaga kay Alyanna. Buti na lang she was revived.
Nagpahinga muna kami, for two hours. Pinatulog muna namin si Ayanna to calm her down.”
She has to make sure her three distinct personalities are very different from one another.
“’Yung tatlong personalities, paiba-iba talaga siya, so ang emotions ko, parang rollercoaster. Sobrang napiga ako at ang feeling ko, nawala talaga ako sa sarili ko. Pero natapos naman namin ang movie na sobrang layo na sa first movie. Iba na ang approach.
Pati sa sex scenes with my leading men, Diego Loyzaga and Adrian Alandy, this is more daring. Mas palaban. Alam naman natin sa Vivamax, walang limit when it comes to daring scenes, kaya mas malala ito.”
