Lorna T on moving to TV5: I’ll get more work

LORNA Tolentino: “It’s always good to have options.” jim guiao punzalan

After the success of her ABS-CBN soap “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin,” which ended last August, seasoned actress Lorna Tolentino is set to return to the small screen—not as a Kapamilya, but as an exclusive TV5 talent.

Despite the wrath of Typhoon “Pedring,” Lorna arrived early at the Batanes function hall of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel last Tuesday for the formal signing of her one-year contract with the Kapatid network.

Also present were TV5 president and CEO Ray Espinosa, executive vice president and COO Roberto Barreiro, and Lorna’s talent manager Lolit Solis.

In an interview that followed at the hotel’s Heat restaurant, Lorna was appreciative at being the latest addition to TV5’s growing roster of big stars, which currently includes Nora Aunor, Aga Muhlach and Willie Revillame.

“Sana makapagbigay ako ng luck at additional viewers sa TV5,” she told the Inquirer and select entertainment reporters.

Apart from the deal that includes three television series and one movie, Lorna said she looks forward to growing together with the network and be able to pitch her own creative ideas.

“TV5 is more open than the established networks. Nakikinig sila sa suggestions na alam nilang ikakabuti ng network,” she pointed out.

But she added that her decision to move to TV5 was based on its offer of 140 working days within a year, which she said will give her more exposure, compared to ABS-CBN’s counteroffer of 85 working days. “It’s not really about the money, but the amount of work.”

No bad blood

Lorna, 49, also revealed that her two-year exclusive contract with ABS-CBN from 2008-2010 stipulated her to shoot two television series and two movies. But due to some misunderstanding, Lorna only managed to do one drama series (“Dahil May Isang Ikaw”) and one movie (“Sa ’Yo Lamang”).

“Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin,” Lorna added, was done under a different contract offered by ABS-CBN business unit head Deo Endrinal.

But despite the missed projects, Lorna said she bears no grudge against the Kapamilya network, and that her departure went smoothly. “Walang bad blood,” she said.

In her 42 years in the biz, Lorna has had the privilege of working in ABS-CBN, GMA 7, and now TV5. Has she ever felt the need to be loyal to a particular network?

’Di na ako bata. Kung sila talaga nag-groom at ever since nag-alaga sa ’yo, ’yun ang mahirap,” she said.

Working for various networks has its perks, Lorna admitted. Aside from having the freedom to choose from different offers, she also gets the opportunity to build new friendships and work with many different artists and directors.

She added: “It’s beneficial para sa industriya. The more, the merrier. It’s always good to have options.”

‘Glamorosa’

This October, Lorna will start taping for her debut series “Glamorosa,”  a medical drama set in the cutthroat world of beauty and cosmetic surgery.  Directed by Eric Quizon, the series will reunite Lorna with Alice Dixson, both of whom starred in Ishmael Bernal’s 1988 movie, “Nagbabagang Luha.” Also in the cast are Tonton Gutierrez and Zoren Legaspi.

In the series, Lorna plays a cosmetic surgeon—a refreshing change from her recent string of heavy, villainous roles, she said. “Parang Vicki Belo ’to … Hawig siya sa ‘Nip/Tuck,’ pero mas [suited] sa culture natin.”

Since Lorna’s portraying a character similar to Belo, will she be inspired to have a much younger boyfriend in real life?

Laughing, she blurted out: “Hindi pwede sa mga anak ko ’yan! Cannot be!”