Although she was the winner in “Pop Star Kids”, GMA didn’t build her up but supported and pushed more the career of runner up Julie Anne San Jose. Rita was relegated to playing supporting roles and villain roles in soaps like “Alice Bungisngis and her Wonder Walis” and “Paroa: Kuwento ni Mariposa”. For a while, she seemed to have been discouraged by lack of good breaks and thought of quitting. She concentrated on her college studies majoring in filmmaking.
She came back in 2018 and was given another villain role in Ken Chan’s afternoon drama, “My Special Tatay”. As Aubrey Palomares, she’s a young woman of loose morals, a pokpok who uses and manipulates the mentally challenged Ken Chan for her own ulterior motives. Ken was originally being paired with Arra San Agustin.
Then Rita as Aubrey gets pregnant and things get more interesting because the viewing public seems to favor more Ken’s love team with Rita. Nobody saw it coming, that the viewers would warm up to the tandem of Ken and Rita, even if Rita has gained a bit of weight and some folks are even body shaming her and bullying her in social media. But all she’d say is: “E, masarap kumain and I’ve learned to accept my body’s imperfections”.
Rita’s character as Aubrey started as a bad person. “I auditioned for the role and I’m so glad when they chose me to play Aubrey, a young prostie. Manggagamit ako rito and I take advantage of Ken and his being mentally challenged. I have to prepare for the role. Talakera ako rito and I have to talk in a high-pitched voice. Ang movements ko, very loud, malapokpok talaga. Pero kahit nega si Aubrey, maraming viewers ang nag-empathize sa kanya kasi she is just fighting to survive. Life has not been good to her at lumalaban lang siya.”The public likes it that Ken’s character as Boyet in “My Special Tatay” has a very positive influence on Rita’s Aubrey for her to change herself for the better. Now, there’s even a clamor for the writers of the show to make Rita the real romantic interest of Ken as Boyet.
“We were all surprised na nagustuhan ng mga tao ang tambalan namin ni Ken,” says Rita. “Our scenes have become viral at ginagawang memes sa internet. It really makes us so happy as it can only mean the show is doing really well. This is the first time I really felt that viewers appreciate me and my performance, with their very warm reception to Aubrey, and this inspires me all the more to work even harder para mapaganda lalo ang trabaho ko. Kung anong mangyayari kay Aubrey, kung kami ba talaga ang magkakatuluyan ni Boyet, yun ang abangan nyo sa show.”
