The Kapamilya afternoon drama Love Thy Woman is promising an “explosive end” on Sept. 11. In the lead-up to its finale week, the tough women in the show about feuding factions within a Filipino-Chinese family — played by Kim Chiu, Yam Concepcion, Eula Valdez, Sunshine Cruz and Ruffa Gutierrez — will go all-out in their “fight for love, justice and riches”.
Off-screen, the family drama has been through a lot since it premiered in February this year, pulling it through amid the pandemic, the network giant’s franchise problems and its migration from free TV to cable and online.
Perhaps, the same can be said of the cast. It isn’t hard to imagine the rollercoaster of emotions in front and away from the cameras. For one, it’s public knowledge what the lead star Kim Chiu experienced during the duration of the series. But she said that her mindset when it comes to personal challenges is that they don’t have to be dealt with alone. She credited the people around her, including her co-stars, for being a source of support.
“Sa sobrang daming nangyari, masaya ako na ganito ang perspective ko sa buhay — di ko masyado sinasarili lahat. I’m very lucky na maraming tao sa paligid ko na alam kong andyan for me at sila na rin yung co-stars ko,” she said in a virtual presscon for Love Thy Woman hosted by Dreamscape last Wednesday.
When ABS-CBN was denied by Congress to renew its franchise for broadcast operations, Kim recalled how the cast members were there for each other during what she described as the darkest period of her home network.
“We have each other, we feel that we have each other and we draw strength from each other. When it happened, we were not alone. We had each other. Wow! But that’s true. We talked to each other, nagkukwentuhan kami ni Mama Shine, Ms. Eula, Ms. Ruffa, Yam, sila direk, mga staff and crew, hinuhugot namin ang lakas namin sa isa’t isa dahil pare-pareho kami ng nararamdaman.”
What a journey, indeed, it has been for Love Thy Woman, recalled Kim who plays the second family daughter in the series. Airing weekdays at 2:30 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel and Kapamilya Online Live, the show directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng, Andoy Ranay and Jojo Saguin and produced by Dreamscape Entertainment is one of the three ABS-CBN scripted dramas that have resumed production along with FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and A Soldier’s Heart.
While it has run for at least five months, the making lasted for more than a year, she added. The most challenging time was finishing the last episodes as they had to be locked in, among other COVID-19 protocols, under the new normal of filming productions.
“Nagsimula kami sa isang araw na meron lang kaming eight sequences, tapos natapos kami na 40 sequences a day (laughs). So grabe yung bonding namin, makikita mo yung professionalism ng isa’t isa on set at siempre iisa lang kami ng inuuwian, isang service lang lahat, pantay-pantay kami ng energy. So dun mo talaga makikilala kung ano yung mga ugali ng bawat isa kasi wala ka nang itatago eh. Everyone is so open to each other,” she said in response to a question from The STAR.
She further reflected on the experience: “So I’m very thankful for the experience because I was able to really know all my co-workers, on- and off-cam. Grabe! Sobrang solid ng samahan na ito. Parang minsan mapapaisip ka nalang, ang galing, nagawa natin ang mga ganung eksena, ang galing niyo, guys.
“So, you get inspired yourself. I kept thinking to myself, shucks, I have to do my best as well. I have to keep up! Jia Wong, let’s go! Tapos ‘pag gabi, Kim Chiu, kelangan mo mag-entertain, let’s go! Everyone’s happy, everyone’s game, everyone’s professional. So, it’s definitely not a difficult environment to be in because everyone was great to work with. Na-bitin nga ako, sayang, pero tapos na kami.”
Asked what’s next after Love Thy Woman, Kim said that in the coming weeks she will be seen “every day” in a new ABS-CBN project. She and perennial love team partner (also real-life boyfriend) Xian Lim will get a follow-up project.
And yes, she is staying as a Kapamilya even as other artists are already allowed by ABS-CBN talent management arm Star Magic to venture out and accept projects for rival stations.
“Sa ngayon nasa Kapamilya network pa naman ako with Love Thy Woman and I’ve been given one project which I’m very happy to do sa Kapamilya network pa rin. So still a Kapamilya! Of course, iba naman yung mga perspective namin and with Mr. M (Star Magic boss Johnny Manahan), binibigyan rin lang kami ng chance kasi iba wala naman work. But on my side, I’m very lucky because ABS-CBN still gives me projects to be able to remain with the Kapamilya network.