Carmina and Zoren on parenting and acting with their twins Mavy and Cassy

MANILA, Philippines, October 15 ------ The public has seen Carmina Villarroel and twins Mavy and Cassy work together as hosts, with Zoren Legaspi as guest and director in the episodes and the “Bahay Edition” of the cooking, talk show, “Sarap, ‘Di Ba?” But in the now-airing GMA Afternoon Prime family drama, “Hating Kapatid,” the family of actors is seen to be part of a “gripping tale of love, betrayal and redemption,” as described by the show’s publicity group.

Zoren and Carmina play childhood friends Cris and Roselle, who each have children, Tyrone and Belle, portrayed by Mavy and Cassy. According to Zoren, during the recent press conference, the show was offered to them in December of last year, and the inquiry happened a month earlier.

As the head of the family, he had a talk with his wife and kids to weigh in on the pros and cons of working together in a family drama, including transportation to the set and working ethics. They agreed to focus on their characters with the director as the referee. “We had a talk (and agreed) that we would treat each other as co-actors,” said Carmina, who, like Zoren, is a caring parent. That way, she could concentrate on her acting and sequences. They come on set as actors to essay their characters, but if it’s break time, Carmina is a doting wife to Zoren and mom to Mavy and Cassy.

As seasoned co-stars, Carmina and Zoren give their kids advice on word pronunciation or word equivalents, if ever Mavy and Cassy ask. “I’m very grateful that our parents give us the space to work really as professionals,” said Cassy. “They let us be, they let us fly.” She handles the pressure and nervousness of working with veteran actor parents by trying to remain calm and professional. “At the end of the day, I’m very thankful that they let us be. They let us grow as artists,” added she.

“As for me, wala naman po akong negative thoughts or pressure,” he said. “Just coming into this show, I know Cassy and I have freedom to act and to be professional also. I also believe in the capabilities of Team Legaspi and that we’re very professional. So, that makes me grateful because we actually respect each other’s boundaries and at the same time, we take each other as co-actors pero siyempre di nawawala yung we treat each other as family.”

What’s clear to the twins is that they will give their best and come prepared every time. Zoren shared that he’s grateful that the twins have an acting coach to guide them, and they will also use their knowledge gained from workshops and acting stints in previous productions. “I just trust them, siyempre with prayers na kasama. Doing soap in the afternoon is really different; the attack and approach are different. The energy is different. The words in the script are also different,” he said on the adjustments the twins will make. “Thankfully, kay direk at sa acting coach, they did very well.” Adolfo Alix Jr. is the director of the afternoon drama.

Zoren and Carmina are proud parents of Mavy and Cassy, who further learn the ropes of acting. “I’m very proud, especially after watching the AVP, since most of the time I had scenes with Mavy. So, iba talaga kapag napapanood mo na. So, alam mo na naiiyak ako na may goosebumps na hindi ko maintindihan,” said she. “I’m such a proud mama because I’ve seen their hard work. At home, they would read the script and already know the story. Makikita mo na they’re very hands-on, hardworking, and professional.”

She has witnessed the twins’ commitment to their roles. They would highlight their lines and sequences. They’ve invested time and thought in their characters. “Bilang magulang at artista, parang nakakatuwa naman (as a parent and an actress, I feel happy). Parang, I did something good. I did something right,” said Carmina. “Parang siguro nakikita nila how we are ‘pag dating sa set, atsaka yun naman yung sinasabi ko sa kanila na maging professional talaga kasi, ano yan, parang respeto mo yan sa lahat ng tao (since being one is a show of respect to others). So, I’m very proud of you, guys.”

Source: philstar.com