Collins with son —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Even with her share of admirers and suitors since her breakup, Max Collins hasn’t really entertained any of them, she said, because she has yet to meet someone who meets her present standards.
“Wala pa … maraming nag-a-attempt, maraming nakapila, pero wala pang pumapasa! We ladies should be confident,” Max jokingly told reporters at the recent press conference for GMA 7’s upcoming primetime series, “My Guardian Alien.”
Last year, she confirmed that she and her husband of five years, Pancho Magno, had “amicably” parted ways. Now that she’s 31 and mother to a 3-year-old boy, Max said the things she wants in a future partner have changed.
“I had to raise my standards from when I was younger. I’m older now, so the things I’m looking for are different, not someone not ready to settle or someone that isn’t serious. I don’t have time for that,” she stressed.
“I don’t want to date for the sake of dating. I have a son, so I have to think what would be the best situation for him,” Max added.
Happy coparenting setup
Marriage isn’t a priority. For one, Max and Pancho have yet to have an annulment or divorce abroad (Max holds dual Filipino and American citizenship and can initiate it abroad). “But my mind can still change. But that’s my mindset for now,” she said. “I mean you can’t really tell. Maybe the right person will come at the right time.”
While the breakup was difficult, Max feels happy that she and Pancho are on good terms and doing their best to raise their son well. “Super OK kami. We have a healthy coparenting relationship and our son is super happy. We’re happy with the setup we have.”
Would she mind if Pancho finds a new love? “It’s not an issue. I want him to be happy and I’m sure he wants me to be happy, too. That’s our priority in life,” she said.
In “My Guardian Alien,” Max plays Venus, the villain to the protagonist, a dead mother named Katherine (Marian Rivera), whose lifeless body gets taken over by an alien. “My character is maarte, irritating but funny. It’s different from my past roles. I have never been a funny kontrabida. I am used to heavy drama, crying scenes,” she said, adding that Blair Waldorf from the series “Gossip Girl” was one of her pegs.
“I do a lot of ad libs and I have a lot of quotable quotes, which my costars find funny. They always mimic my portrayal. So I hope that translates to the screen,” she added. While she had already been doing lead roles prior to this series, Max doesn’t mind playing support, especially if it’s for something big like Marian’s comeback soap.
“There’s no such thing as a small role. I’m not really choosy. I’m just fortunate to be working because there are a lot of people who don’t have jobs. I’m happy I’m working, doing a show with such amazing actors. And this is Marian’s return (after five years), so this is something people are waiting for,” she said.
‘Light’ experience
Max found working with Marian a “light” experience. “We didn’t start shooting scenes together until four months into the show, because our earlier scenes were shot in different houses. But we do see each other on location. So by the time we worked together, we already felt relaxed,” she said.
While it can be intimidating playing a kontrabida to a big star like Marian, the latter made sure to make things comfortable. That’s why she didn’t feel awkward doing their “sampalan scenes.”
“There will be a dance showdown, sampalan. But I felt very comfortable because she made me feel comfortable. She reassured me, telling me, ‘Artista din ako, ‘di ako maarte, professional ako.’ And I respect her so much for that. I wasn’t scared doing our scenes, because I know it’s OK with her,” she related.
“She understands that, if ever someone gets hurt accidentally, we’re both professional and that we won’t take it personally,” Max said.