Mariz enjoys comeback project
MARIZ was one of the most in demand leading ladies of action stars in the late 80s and that’s how she met her husband, Ronnie Ricketts. They were married in 1993 and now, after 29 years, their marriage is going strong and one of the most stable in local showbiz.
Her last acting jobs were doing guest roles in the soaps “Valiente” on TV5 and “Aso ni San Roque” on GMA-7 in 2012. Now, after 10 years, she comes out of hibernation to be part of GMA’s new Afternoon Prime drama, “Apoy sa Langit”, where she plays the best friend of Maricel Laxa.
“It’s quite a reunion for us kasi we used to be co-hosts in ‘GMA Supershow’,” she recalls. “Tapos, naging magkapitbahay kami noong bagong kasal kami and now, neighbors kami uli. Nagbo-bonding kami uli. And then this offer came so we really enjoy working together again.”
Why it did take so many years before she faced the cameras again? “There were other offers, pero laging hindi natutuloy. But ‘Apoy sa Langit’ came to me at the most perfect time. I was ready, and my family was also ready. I’m now free kasi malalaki na mga anak namin at nagtatrabaho na rin. Sila pa ang nagsabi sa akin na, ‘Mommy, it’s your turn to work again. Napalaki mo na naman kami.’ But for the first time in so many years, ngayon lang kami nagkahiwalay ng husband ko kasi nga lock in taping ito. Alam naman niyang nasa pandemic tayo.”
So how was it doing lock in taping? “Actually, nag-enjoy ako kasi I found a new family sa taping namin. Na-embrace ko agad kasi nga everyone is so warm and supportive, so I’m really grateful na binigyan ako ng ganitong blessing na makaarte at makapagtrabaho uli.”
She considers it an added blessing that the director of “Apoy sa Langit” is the much respected Laurice Guillen. “Noon ko pa pangarap na makatrabaho siya. Kaya I can say na dream come true rin for me to work with Direk Laurice. She’s very understanding. She knows matagal akong nawala sa harap ng kamera, so inalalayan niya talaga ako. Andami kong stories everyday kay Ronnie at sa mga anak namin about ‘yung mga nangyayari sa amin sa taping. They’re so happy for me na nag-enjoy ako sa pagbabalik ko sa trabaho.”
