Young actor Alden Richards got an unexpected but truly
memorable coming-of-age present when he and his “Carmela” leading lady
Marian Rivera locked lips for the teaser of the soap opera.
"Our
kissing scenes on the teaser wasn’t part of any scenes from ‘Carmela.’
It was just for (public) presentation,” shared Alden.Alden just turned 21 last Jan. 21, and he admitted that he is looking forward to doing “intimate scenes” with Marian, dubbed the Kapuso Network’s Primetime Queen.
“As per our creatives (writers), marami raw kaming intimate scenes,” quipped Alden. “If ever man magkaroon kami ng mga intimate scenes, that would also be my first love scene on television."
But “Carmela” director Dominic Zapata cautioned Kapuso televiewers that Alden and Marian would only have “intimate scenes” if and when the story eventually calls for it. It would never be included just to sell “Carmela” to mass audiences.
In “Carmela,” Alden plays the role of Yago, the grandson of Fernando (Roi Vinzon) and Fides (Ms. Laurice Guillen) who disowned his mother (played by Jaclyn Jose) for marrying someone his grandparents didn’t approve of. He may have affluent grandparents, but Yago had to struggle in life especially when his father left them. He will fall in love with Carmela.
Alden stressed that Yago is a "challenging character."
"As of now po light pa lang ang scenes na ginagawa ng character ko so I’m still enjoying it. As we go on doon ko siguro ma-discover yung challenges ng role ko. Like sa family ni Yago, yun po ang point of conflict ko,” he described.
Apparently, Alden identifies with Yago's playful, happy-go-lucky persona.
“Ako po ito in real life,” remarked Alden. “Of course binigyan ko rin ng Alden touch yung character. Kasi ako naman din yun in real life - playful, makulit and someone who doesn't take life too seriously. Enjoy every single day. Pero siyempre si Yago ang karga niya magkahiwalay ang parents niya so nandun ang drama. Pero mostly ang personality niya is playful and fun.”
Alden admitted that working with Marian was intimidating at first -- not because the latter is eight years older than him but rather due to her stature in showbiz, her experiences as an actress and the awards she has received through the years. In fact, he was more than surprised that a newbie like him was cast as Marian’s leading man in “Carmela.”
“Napakalaking artista ng GMA7 si Marian Rivera so nagulat po ako na ako ang kinuha. Kasi sobrang bago pa rin ako. Three years pa lang ako,” he related.
But Alden is glad that after working together on “Carmela” for several weeks already, he and Marian are now more comfortable with each other.
So was there any interesting facets of Marian that he discovered on the set?
“Sobrang on time sa set. An hour or 30 minutes before nasa set na siya. Na-pressure po ako kasi aminado naman ako before na na-li-late ako minsan. Pero not to the point na na-dedelay ang shoot. Ngayon, I took that as a challenge para di na maging late,” he replied.
Also
in “Carmela” are Agot Isidro, Raymond Bagatsing, Jennica Garcia,
Rochelle Pangilinan, Freddie Webb, Eva Darren, Krystal Reyes, Ana Feleo
and RJ Padilla.
-- Manila Bulletin
