GINA Alajar is one of our busiest actors-directors. After directing the blockbuster hit series “Prima Donnas”, she went back to acting in “Nagbabagang Luha” as the meddlesome mother of Rayver Cruz. Now that she has finished taping all her scenes for that show, she is now back into directing “Prima Donnas, Book Two”.

They shot two legs of lock in tapings for “Nagbabagang Luha” in a span of three and a half months. And now, she will be doing lock in taping with the stars of “Prima Donnas Book Two” from August 15 to November 15, or three months straight.

“So sa fans ng ‘Prima Donnas’ who ask kung kailan kami magbabalik, heto na, malapit na. Abangan nyo lang. Balik ang buong cast at makakasama na namin uli si Sofia Pablo na hindi napasama sa ending nung Book 1. Kasi wala pa siyang 15 noon, so she was not allowed to do lock in taping. But now, 15 na siya, so she returns to the show as Donna Lyn. Meron ding bagong additions sa series, like Sheryl Cruz, and teen stars Allen Ansay and Bruce Roland.”

So which is more difficult to do: acting or directing? “Kapag artista ka, you think of yourself lang. How will I look before the camera? And you will memorize your lines lang. After the take, you can go back to your room and rest kapag hindi na ikaw ang kinukunan sa eksena. You can go get some sleep or read or just relax.”

And what about when she’s the director? “E, as a director, mas marami kang trabaho as you’re the one in charge of everything, of orchestrating the whole show. At responsibility mo hindi lang ang acting ng cast kundi pati ang operations ng buong staff. Mahirap, lalo na ngayong lock in taping, kasi may deadline kayong sinusunod. Bilang ang araw nyo. Kailangan bago matapos ang lock in taping, matapos din lahat ng eksenang dapat na kukunan nyo. E, kung minsan, the weather won’t cooperate, lalo ngayon, ulan nang ulan, di kayo makakapag-tape sa labas. So you have to adjust to all that.”

How is it being directed by another actor in “Nagbabagang Luha”, Ricky Davao? “With Ricky, I am so relaxed and it is always a pleasure to work with him. We go back a long way kasi marami na kaming nagawang movies before. We collaborate and I’m glad that he has a very open mind. Happy ako rito sa ‘Nagbabagang Luha’ and I’m happy working with Glaiza de Castro, Rayver Cruz and all our other co-stars.”

Sanya doesn’t put success on her head

SANYA Lopez renews her contract with GMA Network. “I feel so blessed while I was signing my new contract,” she says. “Sobrang saya ang naramdaman ko and I felt na talagang pinahahalagahan ako ng GMA and they have a good plan for me. In turn, ayokong masira ang tiwala nila sa akin kaya dapat lang na mas galingan ko pa.”

So what are the plans of GMA for her after her two successful shows, “First Yaya” and “Agimat ng Agila”?

“I will be doing a movie raw at marami pang surprises na inihahanda sila for me. Pero ako talaga, hangga’t di pa nangyayari, hindi ako nagkukuwento. As of now, I do a lot of guestings muna. Nasa ‘Wish Ko Lang Ako’ 19th anniversary presentation this Saturday. May photoshoots din ako.”

People say she’s now one of the biggest stars of GMA.

“Naku, hindi pa nagsi-sink in sa akin ‘yun. I don’t wanna be presumptuous. Andami ko pang dapat patunayan to reach that level.”

So how does she react to all the good things coming to her life?

“Kapag sobra-sobra ang blessings na natanggap mo, you must remind yourself lagi na huwag mong ilalagay sa ulo mo. Dapat, matuto kang mag-share ka na lang sa iba. Anuman ang binibigay sa’kin, I just remain humble. I can really say na kung sino ‘yung Shaira (her real name) na nakikilala nila noon, ako pa rin ‘yun ngayon na humaharap sa inyo ngayon.”

If she’d be given the freedom to choose, what kind of projects would she want to do? “Ako naman, kahit anong project ibigay nila, tatanggapin ko, kasi malaki ang tiwala ko sa GMA na kahit anong show pa ang ibigay nila sa’kin, hindi nila ako pababayaan. But if they’d ask me, I want to do another romcom kasi nag-enjoy talaga ako sa ‘First Yaya’. I also want to play a superhero role na parang sa’yo nakasalalay ang kaligtasan ng lahat. Also, I want to explore ‘yung lesbian themed show, kasi gusto ko malaman kung ano magiging feeling ko kapag pinartrner ka sa kapwa mo babae and gusto ko talaga ng challenging roles like that.”

With whom does she want to be paired in a lesbian show? “I think si Solenn Heussaff kasi ang hot niya and feeling ko kaya niya agad kumonek sa kin. Also Glaiza de Catsro and Rhian Ramos kasi I saw them before in such a show, so what kaya if sila naman ang ipareha sa akin.”

Others lost jobs during the pandemic but in her case, it’s the opposite. “Yes, during the pandemic, doon talaga gumanda ang takbo ng career ko. To think na second choice lang ako sa ‘First Yaya’ and I did ‘Agimat’ pa. Andaming blessings na dumating sa’kin bigla. Even sa Tiktok, millions na ang followers ko. So panay talaga ang pasalamat ko kay Lord. Sabi ko, di ko alam kung bakit ang bait Niya sa akin. This pandemic, lahat kami sa family very healthy, walang nagkakasakit. So I feel blessed and sana, ‘yung ibang mga tao rin, okay sila at ang prayer ko, matapos na itong pandemya para mabalik na tayo sa dating buhay nating na nakakalabas tayo nang walang takot.”

What else does she do while she’s in between shows? “Ayun, inaasikaso ko ang bahay namin. I buy new furniture and appliances for our home. Tapos, I also do the grocery, pay our bills, I do our budgeting. Dati kasi, abot lang ako ng abot ng pambayad, but now mas aware na ako. I’m really praying na matuloy yung movie nila for me at sana, maging maganda talagang movie project.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Mario Bautista