She also has two new movies to be shown this month. “Lihis” with Jake Cuenca and Joem Bascon will be shown in Sineng Pambansa at SM Cinemas from September 11 to 18. This will be followed on September 25 by the theatrical release of the Cinemalaya best picture winner in the Director’s Showcase category, “Sana Dati”.
And of course, her Sunday night drama show on GMA News TV, “Titser”, is still going on and it’s getting very positive feedback for it’s revelations about the sad plight of teachers and the educational system in our country.
In “Akin Pa Rin ang Bukas”, she plays the oppressed bastard daughter of Gary Estrada with their housemaid, Ina Feleo. In real life, it’s common knowledge she’s the love child of FPJ. As she was growing up, did anyone every chide her because of this?
“No, never, and I’m happy na wala namang gumawa ng ganon sa’kin,” she says. “Ngayon naman, I can feel I’m accepted as FPJ’s daughter. And because of that, mas naka-relate ako sa role ko in ‘Akin Pa Rin ang Bukas’. The story is really good. My mom is trying to raise me by herself, pero may congenital heart disease kasi ako, kaya kahit masakit sa loob niya, iniwan niya ako sa father ko and to my lola, Liza Lorena, para mapagaling ako. But my lola, hindi niya ko matanggap talaga.”
How did she feel when Helen Gamboa backed up from the role? “I felt so sad kasi favorite leading lady raw siya ng dad ko. Well, I’m hoping that someday, magkatrabaho pa rin kami. But as it is, okay naman si Tita Liza, with whom I’ve worked before sa ‘Legacy’.”
How is it being reunited with Rocco Nacino, who’s said to be the reason why she and Jake Cuenca broke up? “That’s not true. How can we break up, never talaga naging officially kami. We were just going out as friends. As for Rocco, he’s always nice to work with naman so masaya kami sa set. But hindi rin kami and I’d want to maintain it that way kasi work lang talaga ang focus ko ngayon.”
So it’s not true that Jake and Rocco fought over her? “You ask them, kasi ako, walang alam na may nangyaring ganoon.”
Rocco plays more of a villain role in the show. He courts Lovi only because she comes from the rich Villacorta family, but his real girlfriend is Charee Pineda. Lovi will later find solace in Cesar Montano. Is she ready to do romantic scenes with Cesar? “Yeah, why not? I’ve never worked with him before but alam ko, maraming humahanga sa husay niya so it’s an honor for me to work with him. Intimidated nga ako noong una, but he turned out to be very nice.”
Doesn’t she feel neglected that the publicity for “Lihis” focuses on the gay sex scenes of Jake and Joem Bascon when she herself has a piping hot bed scene with Joem? “Okay lang yun kasi naiiba talaga yung ginawa nila. I just wish people wouldn’t think na gay movie lang ito. It has a very touching story about a daughter’s search for the truth about her parents, si Isabelle Daza yun, and also shows the atrocities of the military during the martial law years.”
