How Love of my Life lured Coney back to TV

MANILA, Philippines — There are aspects (forms) of love as a musical tells. Mother’s love is among the kinds of love that GMA 7’s Love of my Life threshes out weeknights on GMA Telebabad. Coney Reyes’ Isabella Gonzales shows that all and sundry. The actress is again on camera as a loving matriarch.

“Siya ay normal na ina (She’s a typical/average mom),” said the actress of her entrepreneur, rich widow character in a recent media group interview. “You want to shepherd your flock, you’re protective of your children. You want the best for your children. Kapag may nakita ka na di magandang desisyon, nagpapaalala ka,” added Coney, who can definitely relate to Isabella. This goes the same as well for the TV drama-watching mothers.

“Mahal niya ang mga anak niya, mahal ko ang mga anak ko (She loves her children, I also love my children),” the actress mentioned as for one similarity she and Isabella share. “You will fight for your children.” 

Tom Rodriguez and Mikael Daez play Coney’s sons named Stefano and Nikolai Gonzales. The brothers adore each other, but Nikolai doesn’t seem to get along with their mom.

“Parehong mahal ko yan ‘pag makita mo,” Coney said of Isabella’s relationship with her kids. The character might be accused of playing favorites by viewers without knowing the backstory to contextualize her actions. “Wala talaga ditong sobrang kontrabida,” replied Coney when asked to describe the nature of Isabella. “(Ito ay) mga totoong pangyayari sa buhay.”

During the roundtable interview, Coney shared that doing Love of my Life is “such a joy and such a blessing” for it is among the shows to be presented in the Kapuso network’s 70th year.

“For those who (were not) yet born when I started my career in 1975 here, my first daily show was Student Canteen and then, I moved on to Eat, Bulaga,” she looked back on her showbiz beginnings. “And then, my first drama was Coney Reyes Mumar Studio, which went on as Coney Reyes on Set and Coney Reyes on Camera. So, it’s really a joy to be back here in GMA through this special teleserye... The joy, the challenge of working with new blood (are) always (a) wonderful (experience)... We learn from each other. If they say, they learn from me, I also learn from them. So it’s a continuous learning process.”

With the media group, she shared that the Love of my Life project “came at a time when I was ready to go back to work. I was receiving offers from both (networks). Nagkataon na ready na ako.”

Prior to this, she was busy with the campaign of her son, now Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto. As an actress, Coney finds it important to pace herself and have a break in between projects. 

“I’ve been turning down more projects more than I have been accepting, especially in the movies,” she said, “kasi usually kapag may ginagawa akong teleserye, minsan dun nagkakataong may offer na movie. Hindi ko kayang pagsabayin... I want to enjoy what I am doing.” When she green-lights a project, she wants to give her full commitment to it.

As for how she sustains her enthusiasm in acting, the actress said: “Siguro talaga it’s a gift. Even as a kid, I was acting on stage already. Nung lumipat ako ng school, lagi akong nakukuha sa school declamation, oratorical contests and then sa mga stage plays. Mahal ko talaga yung ginagawa ko, di ba? Minsan feeling ko ayaw ko muna kasi parang na-bu-burn-out (ako), ganun, tapos mamaya maya hahanapin ko din.”

Coney also acknowledged the generosity of the TV networks she has worked in.

“Both networks have been very kind to me,” she said. “Both networks have been very good to me, offering me really good roles through the years.”

How is Coney as a mom?

“I believe that if you train a child in the way he should go in life, he will never depart from you,” answered Coney. “It’s important that you have a good relationship with your children, with your child. You train him in the ways of the Lord, pray for your son or your daughter, your child, and just trust that the Lord will never leave or forsake your child, that God will always take care of everything. I guess ganun akong klaseng ina.”