Marian Rivera
Marian Rivera dreams of having a big family. Now that her firstborn, Zia, is turning 3 in November, she feels it’s about time that she and her husband, Dingdong Dantes, try for a second baby.
“I’m not denying that we’re actually trying. Zia is almost 3. And that’s good enough of an age gap,” she told reporters at a press conference for the first anniversary celebration of her drama anthology, “Tadhana.”
The 33-year-old star’s yearning to have another child only grew stronger after a quick Father’s Day celebration in El Nido, Palawan.
“We surprised Dong with a romantic dinner by the beach. And all the while, Zia was taking a video of us. It was then that I realized our child was growing up,” she related.
Their recent vacation, she said, was “full of love.” She and Dingdong have been married for more than three years now and every day, they fall in love deeper with each other.
“That’s how all married couples should be like—you become more loving and understanding of each other, especially if you have children. Dong knows that Zia is my priority, but he’s my first baby,” said Marian, adding that Palawan has a special place in their hearts.
“We went there after our wedding … We shot some scenes for ‘Dyesebel’ there, too,” she pointed out.
Motherhood is Marian’s priority, which makes her wary of committing to long-term projects, like soap operas.
Does her contract with the Kapuso network have a stipulation regarding pregnancy?
“Wala naman. GMA 7 knows that we’re married, and getting pregnant is something that can’t be completely avoided,” said Marian, who sees herself continuing her career for her family’s “future and security.”
Marian revealed that there are plans to do a TV series sometime this year, but not until Dingdong is finished with his. “Working three, four months is difficult. My mom and Dong’s mom are there, but having a parent with Zia is very different,” she pointed out.
But working with Dingdong is still a possibility, depending on the project. For instance, for the anniversary episode of “Tadhana” (June 23), which features the stories and plight of overseas Filipino workers, Marian played the lead role, with Dingdong as her director.
It was weird at first, Marian admitted. “He was teasing me, ‘Magkakaalaman na tayo kung paano ang acting mo kapag dinirek kita!’” recalled the actress, who will bring to life the story of Jackie, who endured having an abusive employer in Bahrain during the 1990s so she could provide for her family, who eventually turned their back on her.
But Marian was up to the challenge. “Nagpasiklab ako!” she said, laughing. “Seriously, he’s a good director. He allowed me to execute some scenes the way I saw them fit.”