Angel Aquino considers it an honor to play the role of the wealthy fashion designer Vera Cruz in Magkaribal. The actress, one of the country's well-known models, says it's refreshing to do something that's close to the work she had been doing even before she joined show business and is still doing now.
The Us Girls host adds that she was challenged by Vera's character, who is the story's villainess, so she accepted the offer.
"I wanted to try something new. Kasi, lagi na lang [akong] umiiyak na asawa, kaya parang I really wanted to challenge myself. Feeling ko, they honored me by offering the part. Feeling ko, they trusted me with the part, so I accepted it. Maybe because I have been a model since the beginning, so inisip nila I would fit the part, kasi iniisip nila fashionista," Angel says in an interview during the press launch of Us Girls's August Awards last night, August 12, at Lasi Nemak restaurant, Robinsons Galleria, in Mandaluyong City.
Angel has already proven her capabilities as an actress in movies like Goodbye Amerika (1997), Laro sa Baga (2000), Crying Ladies (2003), and Donsol (2006). But she admits that she got "scared" when Vera's character was first offered to her.
She recalls, "I didn't know if I would bring her to life the way she's expected to be, so I was really scared. I've never done anything like this. Although before in a film, Minsan Minahal Kita, with Sharon [Cuneta] and Richard [Gomez], I played a bratty wife. Never this—always angry, always upset with everyone, always screaming at the top of her lungs. It wasn't at all like that. Ngayon pa lang 'yong ganito ka intensely... not at all bad, she's just mean."
Since then, the praises have been coming. Her previous characters may have been very different from the mean one she's playing in Magkaribal, but she has the character of Vera nailed. For this, she credits her years in showbiz.
She says, "Lahat naman tayo may ganun [ugali]. When someone asks you, 'Sige nga, magtaray ka nga,' you can easily do that. It's so easy, di ba? We've seen so many movies. I grew up watching Cherie Gil and Sharon Cuneta being always pitted against each other. So, somehow may idea ako kung ano ang silhouette ng isang mayaman na mataray at mapagmata ng tao. Alam ko naman, kahit papaano inaral ko."
Did Angel worry about being hated by viewers for being the meanie to popular actresses Bea Alonzo and Erich Gonzales on Magkaribal?
Angel says today's viewers have learned to isolate the actor from the character he/she plays.
She explains, "I think I remember watching Agot [Isidro] as Ingrid [on Tayong Dalawa]. Pero I could see that people started to see her as Agot playing Ingrid and not as Ingrid herself. So, hindi sila nagagalit kay Agot. Siguro nagagalit sila kay Ingrid and somehow... Actually, some people somehow their hearts would go out to Ingrid. Ngayon, they've designed the villainess, or kontra-divas ang tawag sa kanila, in such a way that they will be sympathetic also, that they will be as real as possible."
Personally, Angel can't take Vera's cruelty.
"I feel bad that I have to be that mean to them," she says. "You know, like the character of Gelai [Bea], she's such a good person. Si Erich naman, who's playing Chloe, is my adoptive daughter. She just wants to please me. She just wants to be as good as her mom. 'Tapos, parang I'm that mean to her. Parang, 'Ano ka ba naman, Vera, give her a break!' So, me being Angel, really hates Vera for that. Even I don't like what Vera does to these girls."
Despite this, the Magkaribal actress believes she has to give the role her best shot. "I have to play Vera... can't do anything," she says.
WORKING WITH GRETCHEN. This week on Magkaribal, Angel had an intense scene with co-actor Gretchen Barretto. The company owned by Vera (Angel) will be taken over by Victoria Valera (Gretchen).
Angel recalls how worried she was about the slapping scene she was set to do with Gretchen. She asked Gretchen if she could just fake the slap.
She remembers telling Gretchen, "'If you can guard ang sampal ko. So, ang gagawin ko, bubuwelo na lang ako para naman hindi isipin ng mga tao na in-anticipate mo talaga ang sampal ko.' Kasi, mabigat ang kamay ko, baka masira ang kanyang jaw."
But Gretchen was game to do the real thing.
Angel relates, "Actually, she was ready for the slap. Sabi niya, 'Hindi, I wanted it to be real.' 'Tapos, sabi ko sa kanya, 'Nararamdaman mo ba 'yan? [Angel taps the shoulder of the person beside her.] 'Yan ang lalapat sa 'yo, masakit 'yan.' Kasi, I can't fake a slap, e, hindi ko kaya. Usually, bumabagsak talaga buong palm ko. So, sabi niya, 'Ganito, pag-usapan natin.' So, we really planned it. Baka matumba siya!"
This is just an example of how professional Gretchen is, says Angel.
She adds, "Gretchen is very particular with people around her. Kailangang tahimik, kailangan walang masyadong distraction, which is how things should be naman, di ba? Kasi, ang hirap kapag maraming lumalakad, ang daming nag-iingay, and you're to concentrate on your lines. She's very professional, she comes on time, and she's a giver also as an actor."
Angel also admires how generous Gretchen is to her co-workers. Aside from bringing food for everybody, Gretchen also gives some of her clothes to her co-actors.
Speaking of their outfits, in a teleserye set against the fashion world, does she buy clothes for her character? Gretchen uses her own clothes for Victoria.
Angel says, "Alam mo, talo-talo na talaga. Ang ibig kong sabihin, partida na, alam ko na she's the more fashionable talaga. Hands up na talaga ako diyan. I don't even try to compete with the way she dresses kasi she has the means, she has the goods, she has personal stuff that she could use, e. Ako, wala naman akong gamit, di ba? So, whatever they make me wear, I wear it. Basta ang sa akin, as long as I played Vera very well, then, I'll be happy."