What it was like for Rita Avila to work with her director husband

Rita Avila in “Tatlong Bibe”

Actress Rita Avila said that while working with her husband FM Reyes in the recently concluded series, “Magpahanggang Wakas,” had its advantages, it also had its downside.

For one, the couple would often take work home with them. “While in bed, he would sometimes remind me to study my script, especially when he knew I’d have to deliver long lines the following day,” Rita shared with the Inquirer.

Rita said that, as director, FM was needed on the set more than she was, so he was at work more often. “When at home, Erick (his real name) would be hiding in his hole most of the time, studying his script.”

Rita and FM last worked together 15 years ago in the ABS-CBN series “Marinella,” where they met and eventually fell in love. This was why Rita said she felt so nervous during her first three taping days in “Magpahanggang Wakas” that she couldn’t sleep and would even throw up due to stress.

“I know him and how he works as a director. He made me do ‘Rosing,’ a character that was difficult to portray. This made me feel tense,” Rita recalled. “As an actress, I wanted to be able to satisfy my director with my performance.

“Erick would sometimes ask me to scream in a low-pitched voice, which was difficult because I have a shrill voice. I had to remember a lot of things while in character. He’d make me repeat a scene because of my voice.”

Things eventually got better on the set for Rita. “I sometimes forget that he’s my husband. I would call him ‘direk,’ and he’d call me Rita Avila. This would make the cast and production team laugh,” she recalled.

Rita Avila (right) with husband FM Reyes

Rita said that as the director’s wife, some of her costars would ask her help in telling FM their requests. An example was when guest Jennica Garcia asked her to convince FM not to push through with the latter’s love scene.

“It turned out that the scene was very simple, and Jennica still ended up doing it,” said Rita.

The actress added: “It was one of the best groups I’ve worked with. The atmosphere on the set was very relaxed. All the cast members were talented.”

The program featured Jericho Rosales, Arci Muñoz and John Estrada in the lead.

Rita is now busy promoting her latest film, the Joven Tan drama “Tatlong Bibe,” which will hit cinemas nationwide on March 1.

“The film tells stories of love and hope, of giving, sharing and forgiving,” she declared.

“Tatlong Bibe” features three talented child stars—Marco Masa (of the hit series, “Nathaniel”), Raikko Matteo (of “Honesto”) and Lyca Gairanod (“The Voice Kids” Season 1 grand champion).

It also stars Eddie Garcia, Sharlene San Pedro, Victor Neri, Edgar Allan Guzman, Luis Alandy, Ronnie Lazaro, Dionisia Pacquiao, Anita Linda, JK Labajo and Angel Aquino.