A back-breaking role for Mika dela Cruz

CEBU, Philippines — It’s hard enough to summon the waterworks when shooting an emotional scene. But do that while walking or running backwards, and well, you’ve got yourself one perpetually perplexed actress.

This is what Mika dela Cruz has to contend with and more in “Kara Mia,” GMA-7’s newest primetime teleserye that will premiere tonight after “24 Oras,” replacing “Cain at Abel.”

Inspired by a true story from India and an urban legend in Great Britain, the fantasy-drama follows two sisters born with disprosopus or craniofacial duplication, a congenital defect where they have two faces but share only one body. Until today, the origin of this condition – one of the rarest malformations in humans – is yet to be explained, whether it is mythical or medical.

“In real life, hindi sila tumatagal. Usually hindi sila lumalagpas sa pagka-baby,” began Mika, who is tackling her first lead and titular role. “There was one case, his name was Edward Murray, siya yung galing sa England na pinakamahabang nabuhay na may case na ganun. Sa nakita namin sa research, walang life yung nasa likod, it was just a dead face. Yung face sa likod, naging burden sa kanya psychologically and pakiramdam niya binubulungan siya ng stuff, so he took his own life.”

Mika plays mischievous Mia, the face hidden at the back of her kind-hearted sister Kara (Barbie Forteza). Mia is lazy, pessimistic and dreams of being an actress. She is strongly envious of Kara and wants nothing more than to be her own person. Kara, on the other hand, is jolly, smart, and aspires to become a doctor to continue what their mother wasn’t able to achieve. She believes that this “defect” is what makes her special, and she loves her sister Mia dearly.

Little do they know, they are probably the children of an engkanto who watches over them as they grow up.

“Parang creepy sa unang tingin. Pero nung sinabi na yung kwento and the personalities of our characters, malalim pala. Hindi siya yung basta-basta dalawa yung ulo, kung paano sila mag-toothbrush. It’s more than that. Ang daming layers,” said Mika.

“With my character, hindi ko siya nakikitang katawa-tawa. Kasi isipin niyo kung kayo yung ulo lang. Ang hirap mabuhay ng ganun, wala kang freedom. When I realized na yun ang hinahanap ng character ko, instantly, lumalim.”

Acting since she was six years old, drama is a genre Mika is comfortable in. So it was the physical demands of the unique role that has been keeping the 20-year-old on her toes.

“Naglalakad ka, tumatakbo ka ng paatras habang umiiyak…So paano mo iisipin lahat yun diba? Kaya minsan nabubuang na din ako!”

Aside from putting in gym time, Mika said being in the moment is necessary for her role.

“Kailangan lagi akong present and sobrang focused para kahit anong instruction ibigay sa akin – mag-tumbling pabaligtad or kung ano pa – magagawa ko,” she explained. “Paulit-ulit din yung shots namin kasi iba yung kay Barbie, iba sa akin. And I’m the type of actor na mas emosyonal, hindi masyadong technical. Mas natural yung kilos ko. Kaya hirap ako na ma-restrict sa pag-galaw.”

When “Kara Mia” was first launched through an omnibus plug, it unexpectedly spawned viral memes on social media – some were funny and witty, others were critical and skeptical.

Mika shared, “Nakakatuwa yung mga memes kasi akala nila naiinis kami when in fact nai-inspire kami na ipakita sa kanila na ‘Hindi, kailangan niyo panoorin para makita niyo.’ Ako, pinapatulan ko talaga, sinasabi ko na totoo naman…Nung una, kami ni Barbie, sabi namin, weird and creepy siya kung iisipin mo yung concept lang pero hindi naman kasi nila alam kung paano tatakbo yung story.”

“So sa pinapakita nilang enthusiasm na gawan ng ingay yung kwento, kahit anong pamba-bash na sabihin nila, darating yung araw na papanoorin nila at makikita nila na ‘Ay, mali ako doon.’ Naniniwala po kami na kailangan lang nilang manood kahit isang beses para makita nila kung gaano kaganda yung story. We can’t imagine the lengths that we can go kasi sobrang ang daming pwedeng gawin creatively.”

The series, which will showcase the scenic beauty of Bacolod City where the story takes place and some of the important scenes were shot, also stars John Estrada, Carmina Villarroel, Glydel Mercado, Jak Roberto, Paul Salas, Mike Tan, Liezel Lopez, Althea Ablan, Karenina Haniel, Arthur Solinap, April Gusto, Alicia Alonzo, at Gina Pareño.

More importantly, it will go head to head against ABS-CBN’s top-rating series “Ang Probinsyano,” which has been airing since September 2015.

For now, Mika shared they’ve been employing two techniques to handle the back-to-back scenes with Barbie.

“The first, we call it live shooting. Kapag live, sabay namin ginagawa ni Barbie yung mga eksena pero hindi kami magka-eksena. Shots niya muna, tapos shots ko. Usually magkatalikuran kami, tapos sila na bahala sa editing paano tatanggalin yung katawan ko. Sa live shooting, there are times when I have to do everything backwards. Kung ano yung ginagawa ni Barbie, kailangan ko gawin lahat pabaligtad. Yun yung medyo mahirap. There are times we are shooting na nakapatong ako kay Barbie. Kunwari, nakayuko siya, nakapatong ang likod ko sa kanya.”

She added, “There are other cases na mas madali yung scenes kapag wala namang physical or hindi kailangan ng masyadong emosyon, like easy conversations, ginagawa namin sa chroma. Nakapasok ako sa isang chroma board, yung face ko lang naka-tight shot para madaling mapatong yung mukha ko.”

Mika, who has previously worked with Barbie in the movie “Ang Darling Kong Aswang” back when they were still child actors, said that she cannot imagine doing the project with a different actress playing her sister.

“Kara Mia” was not supposed to be Mika’s first big project since turning Kapuso. She was set to star in two other shows, but both fell through during negotiations.

“Somehow, those didn’t work out. Parang matagal pong napag-usapan, may hindi napagkasunduan siguro among management and managers,” she said. “Naniniwala naman ako na may right time para sa lahat. Nakakapanghinayang yung projects, but I believe there’s a right timing for everything.”

Speaking of right time, Mika said that when she’s ripe for the task, she’d love to follow in the political footsteps of elder sister Angelika dela Cruz, who, aside from being an actress, is also on her second term as barangay captain of Brgy. Longos, Malabon City.

“Yes. Mahilig ako sa tao eh. Jologs ako eh. Gusto ko yung nagre-reach out sa iba’t-ibang klase ng tao, iba’t-ibang personalities,” she said. “Gusto ko yung tumutulong. I have a passion for it.”