StarStruck alumni team up for new soap

MANILA, Philippines – Three that made it big after the ground-breaking StarStruck Season 1 in 2003 found themselves reunited on GMA 7’s new Afternoon Prime series Sa Piling Ni Nanay, which airs after Hanggang Makita Kang Muli.

The troika of Yasmien Kurdi, Mark Herras and Katrina Halili joins forces in a family drama focused on a surrogate mother who runs away with the baby she carried after her own daughter dies from accident. Yasmien plays the surrogate Ysabel who works as personal assistant to socialite Scarlet, played by Katrina, who actually convinces her to agree to surrogacy because she cannot bear a child and then tracks her down for the obvious reason.

Mark’s character Jonas comes into the picture as secret admirer of Ysabel who eventually gives his allegiance to Scarlet partly because she is the daughter of his Aunt Matilda, to be portrayed by veteran comedienne Nova Villa in a rare turn as serious mode and ultra-rich woman.

Looks like a heavy dosage of drama should be expected from this plot, which director Gil Tejada Jr. is confident about being “a new topic?” Not one can expect from a reunion of a seemingly fun-loving StarStruck mates.

But that must be the key. Pull in together three success stories that remain in the public eye and let them have a party while doing heavy scenes of burning passion.

“Lagi kaming nag-aaya gumimik or to go out of town together but it doesn’t happen because of our busy schedules,” quipped Katrina during the recent presscon attended by a huge pool of mainstream press.

All three carved out their own careers after first edition of StarStruck — perhaps the pool in Philippine reality TV history that created the most stars. Others that made it in their own right after that remarkable show’s run include Sheena Halili, Rainier Castillo, Nadine Samonte and of course, the names Cristine Reyes and Jennylyn Mercado.

Yasmien, who scored a couple of radio hits as a singer, takes arguably her career’s biggest challenge playing the main character. She said of being a mother: “A mother’s love is unconditional. Kahit buhay mo ibibigay mo at hindi mo iindahin ang lahat ng sacrifices para sa anak.”

Sa Piling Ni Nanay raises the question of who has the right over a child when it comes to surrogacy, the biological mother or the one who conceived?

Supporting the StarStruck alumni are Bettina Carlos playing Scarlet’s doctor-friend Wanda who conducts the surrogacy, Antonio Aquitania as Ysabel’s abusive live-in partner Rod and Sofia Jayzel Cabatay who acts out the role of Maya, the Scarlet child delivered through Ysabel.

But the scene-stealer trophy likely goes to Nova who is forced to go out of the box and somehow found a new path to walk on. She shared, “I’ve been in comedy for the longest time. It’s my first time to play a ‘donya’ role and natakot ako sumabak sa drama dahil madugo ang drama. But with this project, parang na-break ang tear ducts ko. Tapos na ang eksena umiiyak pa din ako.”

Mark appears contented in all aspects of his life and Sa Piling Ni Nanay proves he is still in grasp of his career. He noted, “I’m so thankful sa nangyayari sa buhay ko. Everything is positive. Lahat sumasabay sa alon.”

He’s genuinely happy, too, that his contemporaries are enjoying success beyond expectations. “Lahat kami natutuwa kay Jen (Mercado). Pinagpaguran niya yun,” he said, referring to his former girlfriend who is now a certified blockbuster act.

Behind the new drama is a team composed of Roy Iglesias, Gilda Olvidado, Suzette Doctolero and other familiar experts in the tear-jerk art of modern soap opera.

(Get the latest updates about Sa Piling Ni Nanay through www.facebook.com/GMADrama, @GMADrama and www.GMANetwork.com.)