May-September drama is a challenge for Marian Rivera

Actress Marian Rivera talks about her character in the new prime-time soap opera, “Carmela”, a story about May-December affair. Video by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net

Marian Rivera is passionate about the advocacies she supports. For fear of getting misunderstood for her motives, the 29-year-old actress doesn’t talk much about the nitty-gritty of her participation in the Adopt-a-Bangka project, which aims to build 100 boats to help the fishermen of Bantayan Island’s 20-plus barangays get back on their feet after the havoc wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” last year.

The resilient people of the Visayas don’t just need relief goods and dole-outs—they need something more sustainable to recover faster. Marian’s advocacy intends to reach out to other storm-ravaged areas, including the so-called Lost Horizon of the South, Camotes Island—our mother’s beloved hometown. (The project has yielded 48 boats so far, according to Allan Monreal of Bantayan’s Back-to-Sea program.)

During the Sinulog festival in Cebu last week, GMA 7’s Oliver Amoroso and Ann Marie Tan intimated to us that Marian was moved by the devastation she saw during her “immersion” visits to Tabogon in northern Cebu.

RIVERA (WITH RICHARDS, RIGHT). Falls in love with a younger man in “Carmela.”

Raising awareness

The lovely actress wasn’t just raising awareness for Adopt-a-Bangka, she was also in Cebu to promote “Carmela: Ang Pinakamagandang Babae Sa Mundong Ibabaw,” her latest drama series (with Alden Richards), which begins its telecast on Jan. 27.

Truth is, we enjoy our chit-chats with actors during out-of-town sorties because they aren’t as “guarded” as when they are in Manila. With Jojo Aquio and Ma. Carmela Torres guiding us, we partook in the festival’s mirth and mayhem.

It was also interesting to see the chemistry—or lack of it—of the lead actors of GMA’s other, brand-new telenovelas, “Rhodora X,” “Paraiso Ko’y Ikaw” and “The Borrowed Wife.” We especially enjoyed shooting the breeze with Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Kristoffer Martin, Kim Rodriguez, Rafael Rosell and the luminous Pauleen Luna, whom we loved in the Quezon City film fest entry, “Gaydar,” last year.

For the first time, Marian will share the screen with a younger leading man (Alden just turned 21 last Jan. 2). What challenges does “Carmela” present for the actress, who will turn 30 on Aug. 12? She discloses, “I was given four scripts to choose from—and I picked ‘Carmela’ because I’ve never done a May-September story before.”

She adds, “I feel excitement more than pressure. It’s a little scary, because ayokong magmukhang trying-hard or masyadong pa-cute, kailangang timplahin ng mabuti.”

Rough and playful

We know that she’s in a happy relationship with Dingdong Dantes—but, can she see herself falling for somebody younger—like Alden? Marian beams, “Love knows no age—so, why not? I chose Alden (for the role of the rough and playful Yago)—because, like me, he’s serious about what he does, and has a good work ethic.”

How does she relate to her character? Marian shares, “Carmela is both loving and matampuhin (sulky) (giggles). Like me, she wants to enjoy life.

“We have a major difference, though: She doesn’t want to fall in love, because she’s haunted by her past—she wants to avenge her parents’ misfortune. In contrast, I don’t like feeling bad, so I choose to love, instead!”