Regine Velasquez and Ariel Rivera had a blast on the set, the director recalls.
Loyal fans, along with intrigue-mongers, are expected to get revved up over the small-screen reunion of former singing sweethearts Regine Velasquez and Ariel Rivera, who play an estranged couple in the two-part GMA 7 musical-dramedy special “Himig ng Pasko” (Dec. 13 and 20).
Ariel jokingly remarked, during an interview, that their roles in the special, directed by indie filmmaker Zig Dulay, hit too close to home. “It’s based on real life,” he quipped.
No, folks, it’s not a reality show.
Still there
The director recounted that taping was a blast. “Though they haven’t shared the screen for a while, you can still feel the chemistry between Ariel and Regine. The kilig (thrill) is still there.”
Ariel quickly pointed out, though, that not even their respective partners, Gelli de Belen (Ariel’s wife) and Ogie Alcasid (Regine’s husband), would raise a fuss about the reunion.
“They are both fine with it,” Ariel told the Inquirer. “Gelli and Ogie were best buddies long before I came into Gelli’s life.”
There’s no need for drama.
“It’s always a pleasure to work with Regine,” Ariel said. “She is very professional, always pleasant.”
Her first soap
Their last project together was the Kapuso primetime series “Forever in My Heart” in 2004. “It seems like a hundred years ago,” Regine cracked. “That was my first soap opera.”
Ariel conceded that things have changed since their days as a concert “love team.”
“We are both grown up,” he said, “and both happily married.” Regine agreed: “We are now in different stages of life.”
Ariel, Regine and costar Rachel Alejandro started in the business roughly at the same time; they figuratively grew up together.
“It’s funny,” Regine related about this new production, “we would chat between takes. Ariel has teenaged sons. Rachel is also married and has a cute niece who looks exactly like her.”
Their conversations and concerns have evolved, she explained. “I can see that we’ve become more settled… We are no longer in a hurry. When you are young, you are driven and always in a rush. Now we are more laidback. Our priority is to enjoy life with our families, especially our children. Kids grow up so quickly.”
Regine’s son Nate turned three last month. She took a break from acting when she got pregnant in 2011. Upon her return from maternity break, she shifted to hosting. She currently hosts the reality talent search “Bet ng Bayan” and the cooking show “Sarap Diva.”
A little adjustment
“When I do TV hosting, I don’t play a character,” she said. “Acting in front of the camera again took a little adjustment. But I quickly got back the hang of it. It was like riding a bike. I just had to recall the skills.”
Apart from all that emoting, another challenge was lip-syncing the songs in the series, she said. “I am not used to lip-syncing, being a live performer.”
All the singers in the cast, including teen star Julie Anne San Jose, prerecorded the songs—mostly Christmas carols, including Ariel’s old hit, “Sana Ngayong Pasko.”
Speaking of Christmas. As they do every year, Regine, Nate and Ogie will travel to Australia to celebrate the holidays with Ogie’s daughters, ex-wife Michelle van Eimeren and her husband Mark Murrow.
Christmases in Australia are quiet and relaxing, Regine said. “Every year, I look forward to Mark’s famous ham … which he boils for hours.”
A wiz in the kitchen herself, Regine sometimes helps out in the food preparation. “But I usually let them do all the cooking … it’s a family tradition. I am excited about that.”
Ariel will celebrate Christmas with Gelli, their two boys and his sister-in-law Janice and her family.
He is eagerly anticipating the noche buena spread that Janice and Gelli will whip up. “Janice can make anything—turkey, steaks, pasta dishes.”
(bayanisandiegojr@gmail.com)
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