“Starla” is ending on a high note.
The ABS-CBN series, now on its final stretch this week, is bidding adieu in its sixteenth week.
Judy Ann Santos, the series’ lead, said that in spite of high ratings, the show is to bow out because it is originally slated to run for a definite time.
“At that time [na in-offer ang ‘Starla’] nasasawa na ang mga tao sa mahahabang teleserye and ‘di ba ‘pag may highlight na, tapos na extend, pababa na nang pababa? [And that] happened to me a lot of times,” she related.
“When it was presented to me, aaminin ko na tinanong ko, one season lang ba talaga ito?…
“[Pero] hanggang dun lang [talaga ang] focus. Though marami pang pwedeng gawin sa story, ang ganda na kasi nung latag. Nung pag present pa lang sa akin, buo na ang istorya, may ending na talaga. Hindi siya cliffhanger na bahala na, tingnan natin kung ano magiging gusto ng mga tao,” she further said.
So although she and the other cast members at the press con — Joel Torre, Meryl Soriano, Joem Bascon, and child stars Enzo Pelojero and Jana Agoncillo — admit they will miss the camaraderie of the well-written program, Judy Ann is fulfilled having done the project — where she plays a kontrabida for the first time.
Meryl and Joem mentioned that they formed a tightly-knit bond, especially since there is no phone signal in the location where they shoot the series. Meryl also revealed they will miss Judy Ann’s cooking, because the cast usually converges inside the actress’ tent to sample her mouthwatering dishes.
Although “Starla” airs its last this Friday, fans need not fret. Judy Ann, who just won best actress at the Cairo International Film Festival and the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival for her performance in Brillante Mendoza’s “Mindanao,” is set to do two big-screen projects this year. She is also not closing her doors to returning to television, because, as she said, ABS-CBN has always looked after her and she trusts their decisions regarding her future projects.
“Nakakasa na ang 2020 ko with two movies,” she revealed, “As it is, papuno na calendar ko ng Feb and March. ‘Yung teleserye, ang hiling ko lang six months to prepare. Sa panahon ngayon, gusto ko mabigay ng buong buo ang performance. Hindi ko na kaya segue one character to another, I find it hard to recover sa puyat.”
Family remains her first priority. The actress has devoted more than half her life to show business and she has come to a point where she knows what to prioritize — time for her husband Ryan Agoncillo and their kids Johan, Lucho and Luna.
“I have my kids and my husband. Nalulungkot ako pag ‘di ko sila nakikita. Nitong mga nakaraang taon, I work hard but I don’t see them, it’s useless. Parang walang sense ginagawa ko kasi hindi ako happy na hindi nakikita ang mga anak ko growing up,” she said.
“Nanduon na ako na tatanggap ako ng project na gusto ko and would interest me and I can give my best performance.”
“Starla” is written by Dindo Perez and directed by Onat Diaz, Darnel Villaflor, and Jerome Pobocan. The series premiered last October on ABS-CBN and is under Dreamscape Entertainment.
