ANG “Dragon Lady” usa ka afternoon prime fantasy drama sa GMA-7 nga gibituonan ni Janine Gutierrez isip si Celestina “Yna” Sanchez nga natawo nga dunay ila’ ang nawong nga porma og dragon nga gituohang maoy nagda og suwerte sa negosyo sa usa ka Chinese-Filipino setting. Kon unsay conflict sa estorya, nia ang atong Q and A sa pipila sa cast nga silang Tom Rodriguez, Edgar Allan Guzman ug Joyce Ching nga atong nahinabi sa Kapuso Mall Show nila niadtong Sabado sa SM City Cebu. Dragon Lady, Ssssuper Ka!!!
Tell us about your character?
EDGAR ALLAN GUZMAN: Ako si Goldwyn Chen, isang Chinese business tycoon na magti-train kay “Yna” (Janine Gutierrez) kasi isa ako sa pinagkakatiwalaan ng kanyang parents (Diana Zubiri ug James Blanco) sa story. Ngayong papasok na kami sa weeks 6 and 7 medyo may malaking twist na mangyayari sa character ko sana abangan n’yo.
TOM RODRIGUEZ: Ako naman si Michael Chan na medyo black sheep sa family and has no interest in the business. However, business partners nila yung family nina Astrid kaya kami ang pini-pair ng aming mga pamilya. Although feeling ko out of place pa rin ako sa family ko kaya doon ako naka-connect kay “Yna” na medyo secluded din yung naging buhay.
JOYCE CHING: I played Astrid Chua, anak ni Vera (Maricar de Mesa), who will be Celestina’s (Janine Gutierrez) greatest rival in business and in love. Si Astrid medyo seductive at full of evil talaga. Wala siyang heart kasi hindi rin niya na-experience yung love noong pagkabata niya. Plus she thinks the more evil she becomes, the more na papansinin siya ng kanyang mom.
Anong rivalry ninyo dito sampalan din?
JOYCE: Napaka basic po niyan. Parang walang sinabi yung sampalan. This week po `ata lalabas na yung full-blown kasamaan in Astrid, sobrang brutal po maski ako nagugulat. Inexpect ko rin kasi pag kontrabida may sampalan, sabunutan pero sobrang beyond that yung ginagawa ni Astrid.
How challenging is your character?
JOYCE: Sobrang nakaka-stress po. Actually, kahapon sa taping... may acting coach po kasi kami sa set... si Astrid kasi is full of kasinungalingan kaya ang hirap sa part ko kasi sa mga recent shows ko medyo mabait ako kaya ang hirap ng transition.
TOM: Every role naman di ba there’s always something challenging? Siguro that’s what makes it exciting, it’s never really the same. Parang first day of school na kikilanin mo ulit yung environment mo, yung kakayahan mo, so there’s always something that’s being challenged within you whether it’s emotionally or physically. It feels like we’re all there to learn and just have fun.
EDGAR: Challenging kasi yung role ko medyo seryuso, never ngumingiti kahit kinikilig na sa mga eksena namin ni “Yna” kahit na nagugustohan ko na siya kailangan di ko ipakita. Mahirap at challenging kasi hindi naman ako ganoon sa totoong buhay. Pero habang tumatagal nae-enjoy ko naman siya.
Sa totoong buhay naniniwala kayo sa suwerte at pamahiin?
JOYCE: Personally, hindi po talaga. Pero naniniwala po ako yung kabutihan o yung kindness ng person parang will always bring good deeds to you in return. Yes, I’m already engaged in real life pero wala kaming sinusunod na pamahiin. Sa wedding date, we also haven’t decided it yet.
EDGAR: Ako naniniwala kasi I grew up sa mga Pinoy na pamahiin (superstition) dahil yung mom ko nire-remind ako palagi hanggang sa naa-apply ko yun. Naniniwala rin ako kung malas o suwerte ka sa buhay pero sa Chinese side medyo hindi.
TOM: In the past, I’m fluctuated between belief and non-belief. Parang minsan naniniwala, minsan naman hindi o baka coincidence lang. But now I’ve looked back throughout my life, I mean it’s almost 10 years since I’ve started in showbiz, sobrang ungrateful ko na siguro kung hindi ako maniniwala. In a way, parang it’s a life-long struggle pa rin for me until now, pero I’m leaning towards the side of really believing in it.
Sa relationship ninyo ni Carla Abellana may mga pamahiin kayo?
TOM: That was luck kasi noong inalok akong mag-audition sa My Husband’s Lover I was having doubts kasi I thought I was not ready for that role kasi bagohan lang ako. Nakakatakot, nakakatakot. So kung hindi pala ako tumuloy doon, I never would have met the love of my life, because that was the first time I ever met Carla. Kaya yeah, I feel very, very lucky.
Bakit ka tumuloy sa audition?
TOM: Kasi sinabi ni Popoy (Popoy Caritativo, iyang talent manager): “Try mo lang, do your best, if it’s not for you then it won’t happen.” Sabi ko: “Sige yun na lang para walang pressure.”
Semi live-in na daw kayo ni Carla?
TOM: Oh, semi live-in! Who said that? (laughs) It’s actually one way to make time for each other especially we’re both busy. If we didn’t try to make time for each other, we wouldn’t see each other anymore. So kung kagagaling ko lang sa taping, I’ll try to see her. Kung siya naman yung kayang pumunta sa akin she will go to me, parang ganoon. It’s a way to strengthen our relationship by making sure that we have time for each other pero hindi naman live-in kasi we still have our own places.