Sofia and Allen get booster shot at stardom
SOFIA Pablo and Allen Ansay’s love team, called TeamJolly, is one of GMA-7’s hit teenage tandems today. They’re now paired together in the second story featured in “Regal Studio Presents” to be shown this Sunday, “Raya Sirena”, written and directed by Easy Ferrer.
“We’re so thankful to Regal for giving us this opportunity to act together in this teen love story and dream come true for me ang role ko kasi pangarap ko talagang gumanap na sirena,” says Sofia, who gained fame playing the role of Lenlen in the hit Afternoon Prime soap, “Prima Donnas”.
She got so sad when she was forbidden to join the lock in taping of “Prima Donnas” last year, since she’s only 14 years old and not allowed to work yet due to the pandemic.
“So natapos po ‘yung show na nawala ‘yung characters ko at ni Allen. But now, after a year, 15 na po ako, puwede na mag-taping uli, and since the show is a big hit, heto po at magsisimula na kami ng taping ng Book Two at kasama na po uli kami sa cast.”
She’s looking forward to being reunited with the show’s other cast members, her sisters Jillian Ward and Althea Ablan; their mom, Katrina Halili; and of course, Allen who plays her love interest.
“Abangan nyo po kasi magkakaroon ng changes sa character ko. Si Lenlen dati, inaapi-api, hindi kumikibo kahit binu-bully. Sa story, ipinadala siya sa Australia at ngayon, babalik na siya, transformed na siya into someone na mas matapang, mas palaban.”
She and Allen’s love team has millions of fans who follow all their Tiktok videos, so we’re sure they’ll look forward watching them act together in “Regal Studio Presents”. Allen is the first runner up in the last Starstruck. How did he feel when his colleague Abdul Rahman was given priority after Abdul is cast as a mainstay in the primetime soap, “Legal Wives”?
“Okay lang naman po kasi hindi po ako nakapag-work for one year dahil 17 lang ako,” he says. “But now, 18 na po ako and I’m glad my first acting appearance is in ‘Regal Studio Presents’ and after this, magkasama rin kami ni Sofia in ‘Prima Donnas, Book Two.’ So parang bumabawi po, sunod-sunod ang blessings.”
He’s thankful to Tiktok for keeping his and Sofia’s careers alive even if they were not allowed to accept acting roles. “We’re both thankful to the fans who watch us in our vlogs and in Tiktok,” he says. “Nag-click ang tandem namin sa internet at dumami ang sumusuporta sa amin kahit nawalan kami ng TV show.”
Allen’s family is based in Bicol but he now lives in Manila to be near GMA. “Kasama ko po rito ang isang kapatid ko, but our parents and other siblings, nasa Bicol pa rin.”
Their fans are hoping that he and Sofia will really end up together on and off screen. “As of now, friends muna kami, bonding-bonding muna as we’re both still very young. May studies pa kami.
But last year, nagkasama kami sa Boracay, pero ngayon, bawal na mag-travel, e. So focus muna kami sa work namin lalo na magi-start na ang taping ng ‘Prima Donnas, Book Two’ directed by Tita Gina Alajar.”
