SHAYNE Sava was the female winner in the last Starstruck. She now gets her biggest break in “Raising Mamay” playing Ai Ai de las Alas’s daughter who takes care of her mom after Ai Ai was shot in the head and started acting like a child. We’re personally glad that she’s given this break as we were rooting for her even during the contest since she acts so well and has so much star quality on screen.

In the presscon, she was introduced as GMA Afternoon Prime Drama Princess. How does she feel about this and how is it acting with Ai Ai in “Raising Mamay”?

“Honestly, hindi ako makapaniwala,” she says. “Totoo ba ito? Feeling ko, parang sasabog ang puso ko sa saya. Ang ganda naman ng title and I will now have to do my best to live up to it.”

Working with Ai Ai is a dream come true for her. “Napakasaya ko kasi I watched her movies before, like ‘Tanging Ina’, and her TV shows. Fan niya talaga ako, tapos ngayon, katrabaho ko na siya.

Nakakausap at nakakayakap ko siya sa eksena kaya sobrang nakakatuwa. And she’s really very nice. Tinutulungan niya talaga ako sa mga eksena namin, kaya ang laki ng pasasalamat kong nakatrabaho ko siya.”

She also wants to thank GMA-7 for trusting her. “I feel so grateful sa GMA bosses na akong napili nila sa role ng Abigail, ang anak ni Mamay. Kasi ang ganda talaga ng role at ng project, so thank you po for trusting me. I feel so blessed and proud sa lahat ng suporta nila. At napanood ko na ang mga eksenang pinagpaguran namin ng cast at ng buong production team, and I can say, hindi kami mapapahiya sa kanila. We have come up with a really good show na maipagmamalaki namin.”

There have been so many other series before about a mother and a child. How is this different?

“The big difference is that their roles will be reversed. Ang ina, siyang magiging anak. At ang anak, siyang magiging ina. But sa start, si Mamay will raise Abigail like her own daughter kahit ampon lang niya ito. Sobrang close sila sa isa’t isa. But after mabaril si Mamay, it will show the sacrifices ng anak for her mom na naging isip bata. Challenging talaga for me ang role kasi ako ang siyang naging nanay with all the responsibilities. Making this series, I realized na grabe talaga ang pagmamahal na ibinibigay ng mga magulang natin sa atin, so dapat natin silang laging pahalagahan.”

Shayne is reunited with her Starstruck batchmate Abdul Rahman in “Raising Mamay” after their love team was first introduced in “Legal Wives”. So what is the status of their relationship now?

“We’re still good friends. Sa Starstruck pa lang noon, naging magkaibigan na kami. It’s okay to work with him kasi magaling din siyang umarte at hindi mo mahahalatang may pinagdaraanan siyang mabigat na problema nang magkasakit ang mother niya at siya ang nag-alaga rito. Mabait siyang anak.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Mario Bautista