GMA 7’s “Primetime Queen” is just waiting to try… singing. photo by norman riego
That she is now officially Dingdong Dantes’ fiancée is sweet, sweet icing on the cake.
For quite some time now, everything’s been rosy for Marian Rivera.
GMA’s “Primetime Queen” is, literally, everywhere—from photos on three vast billboards along Edsa Guadalupe to celebrations as, say, the first and only three-time winner of the fan-voted title “Sexiest Woman” in the country.
Clothes, and apparel stores, dermatology clinics and cosmetics, alcohol, telecommunications, hair products, and gadgets, have all sought Marian to become the “face” of their brands.
“I am grateful for the trust given me,” Marian told the Inquirer during her recent launch as an endorser of Kopiko Cafe Bianca. “I have always enjoyed this brand,” she added. “This deal just means I don’t have to buy it anymore, because I’ll have a constant supply.”
She tries to live up to her titles—“Her Royal Beauty” and “Philippines’ Finest”—on top of the lofty designation that her network bestowed on her. While no nightly primetime program has her as lead star at this time, Marian keeps televiewers happy with two variety shows.
Saturday nights, Marian hosts and performs on her eponymous dance show. “A dance show is not easy,” she said. “In a week, we tape two episodes, which means I have to memorize six to eight numbers.”
That was not a complaint, just a statement of fact. (Marian swears she loves dancing as much as acting.)
She knocks on doors with Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola and Paolo Ballesteros in the “Eat Bulaga” segment “All for Juan, Juan for All” and even hands out what is called “Puhunan ni Marian”.
With this surge in fame and multiplatform presence—more pronounced now than when she first exploded on the prime time scene as Marimar in the popular series of the same title—has anything changed to make herself and her career better?
Marian replied, “When I entered show biz, I had no idea what I was getting into. I was, ‘What you see is what you get.’ I’ve come to realize that it wasn’t the way things worked in show biz. I had to adjust—listen, observe.”
Her home network is currently collaborating with her team, Marian said, for her next primetime program. “[The bosses] told me it was unacceptable for the year to end without a new soap for me.”
To complete the performance checklist, was she considering going into singing/recording?
She quipped, “Pag naka-showdown ko na ang (when I think I can tackle) Aegis (local rock band known for power ballads), that would be my sign to embark on a singing career.”