Marian Rivera
While she would love to return to doing teleseryes, being away from home for extended periods would be difficult, Marian Rivera said, because she has young children to take care of.
“It’s hard to say yes or no on the spot, because it will all depend on the situation or protocols. If the taping is just for a few days, it’s OK. But if it’s a monthlong, locked-in taping, that would be tough for me, because my children rely on me,” she said in a recent virtual conference for the fourth anniversary of “Tadhana,” a weekly drama anthology on GMA 7.
Marian has two children with husband, Dingdong Dantes—Zia, 5, and Sixto, 2. “Zia attends school. Sixto stills sticks with me. But maybe next year, things will be smoother and we can think of ways to deal with it,” the 37-year-old Kapuso actress said.
Work with Bea, John Lloyd
But should the stars align and an opportunity presents itself, would she be willing to work with Bea Alonzo, who recently signed with GMA 7, and John Lloyd Cruz, who’s set to do a blocktime sitcom on the network? “Why not? Whoever gets paired with me, I’ll look forward to that,” she said. “I will be super excited if that ever happens.”
As part of its fourth year celebration, “Tadhana” will present on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20 a special two-part episode, titled “Sa Ngalan ng Ama,” which stars Gabby Concepcion, Eula Valdes, Thea Tolentino and Ariella Arida. The second episode, “Kabayaran,” will air on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4. Also, the show will give away a house and lot to a lucky overseas Filipino worker.
“I’m glad we’re still here after four years. And I’m not surprised, because the stories we find are inspirational and give people hope. We have unique stories and we’re thankful to those willing to share them with the viewers. One of the things I always see in our stories is that we Filipinos, despite difficulties, will get up and fight,” she said.
Right now, Marian shoots her hosting parts for the show at home with Dingdong as her director.
“We managed to come up with a scenario that will allow us to continue producing new episodes. They had Dong directing me because I was scared to go out, especially during the peak of the pandemic. If it’s only me, I can manage. But I thought, ‘Will I be able to go home and sit with my kids?’ I can’t bear the thought of my kids catching [COVID-19],” she said.
Supportive
Dingdong has nothing but support. “I asked him if he’s OK with directing me and he said, ‘Of course, why will I not do it for you?’” Marian related. “We just make sure to manage our time well. Sometimes, my glam team helps with the camera. Tulung- tulong kami. Sometimes, Zia drops by and acts as the clapper.”
Being stuck at home has allowed Marian to focus on raising her children. But she also acknowledged going outside is crucial to their development.
“Kids should be exploring, going to school and mingling with other kids. But since they’re unable to do that, we have to make do with what we have at home. We go to our small garden and ride bikes—kahit tatlong padyak lang! They play on the trampoline. Parenting is challenging, but if you love what you do, nothing is impossible,” she said.
But while she’s enjoying being a stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur at the moment, show biz, Marian said, will always be in her blood. “I love working. That won’t leave me, even when I get old. Let’s just wait, maybe when it’s safer. Babalik at babalik pa rin,” she said.