Majestic Superstar Maja Salvador is best known for her dramatic work, but now she's starring in a new comedy for TV5 entitled "Oh My Korona" which premiered on Saturday, Aug. 6.
In "Oh My Korona," Maja plays Lablab, an out-of-work hotel manager who inherited a boarding house from her late beauty queen-actress mother and is now landlady to a group of showbiz wannabes.
Talent agency owner Louie (portrayed by Joey Marquez) wants to make Lablab his prime talent as he manages the other tenants to achieve their own showbiz dreams. However, Lablab dislikes show business due to her issues with her parents.
“May sitcom na (ako) after ng mga matitinding teleserye at pelikula na nagawa natin. Sobrang importante rin nito sa akin dahil ang nagline produce ay Crown Artist Management. Another big project ko with Cignal and TV5. Abangan po ninyo yung mga eksenang magagawa ko sa iba’t ibang characters kasi iisa-isahin natin ‘yan kung ano ang mga kwento nila,” said Maja during a Zoom with the entertainment press recently.
"Oh My Korona," presented by Cignal Entertainment and Crown Artist Management present, is a one-of-a-kind sitcom that gives a funny take on the lives of showbiz aspirants who live under one roof.
The new sitcom highlights some true showbiz experiences based on current news headlines, celebrity issues and scandals, and other viral topics. The show also gives valuable insights into the showbiz world to guide and inspire dreamers who are pursuing their own paths to stardom.
On the concept of the show, Direk Ricky Victoria explained: "Ang Pinoy mahilig sa showbiz. Sa news mas inuuna nila ang showbiz. Sa newspaper, forward na kaagad kung saan may showbiz news. So mahilig ang Pinoy sa tsismis sa showbiz. So maganda yung concept na isnag boarding house at punong-puno ng mga nag-aartista. So from there nakakagawa tayo ng mga storya behind the scenes na hindi lang natin nakikita sa mga pelikula o TV kundi kung ano yung buhay nila na normal na tao na may problema at paano nila ina-achieve ang mga pangarap nila."
The sitcom is just the first of the series of commitments of Maja for TV5 and Cignal Entertainment, as announced in her previous media conference earlier this year. "Oh My Korona" is also the first line production venture of Crown Artist Management, Maja’s talent management company with her fiancé, Rambo Nuñez.
Asked how they manage to separate their professional and personal relationships, Maja said: "Surprisingly, nagagawa naman namin. Malaking tulong na artista rin ako na kapag sa set na ako ng sitcom, artista ako. After pack-up, tsaka ako magche-check sa production, silip-silip. Parang mas ibinibigay ko yun sa kanila."
Rambo added: "It's been easy naman. Kasi si Maja has been professinal naman so I guess if we have the same goal, na gusto naman mapaganda, we should know how to set our priorities. So trabaho muna tayo, we know this is important, both professionally and personally. So I guess yung intention namin is always there which makes it easier for both of us."
"Ang okay naman sa kanya is nakikinig. Gustong matuto kung ano'ng mangyayari sa mga magaganap. Tapos ganun din ako," Maja also said.
Maja also shared some words of wisdom with newbies on the sitcom.
“Halos dito sa 'Oh My Korona,' mga kaibigan ko. Dito lalong titibay ang friendship namin. Kung hindi ko napi-feel ang character mo, di-diretsuhin kita. Kasi gusto ko naman maging successful lahat. Ayaw mo naman pabayaan lahat.
“Ang No. 1 advice ko sa kanila ay yung attitude dahil pare-pareho lang naman lahat nagtatrabaho. So magtatagal ka sa industriya, hindi dahil sa magaling ka kundi sa attitude mo rin. Kung paano ka mag-alaga ng mga staff, sa paligid mo.
“Dapat maramdaman ng lahat na andun hindi lamang magtrabaho kundi dapay pinaparamdam mo na iisa kayo, walang artista ka lang, walang staff ka lang, walang crew ka lang. Pinaparamdam mo na pantay-pantay kayo, pare-pareho kayo,” she said.
"Oh My Korona" also stars RK Bagatsing as Tim, Kakai Bautista as Marga, Pooh as Gerry, Thou Reyes as Kobe, Christine Samson as Layla, Jessie Salvador as CJ, Jai Agpangan as Betchay, Guel Espina as JM, and Queenay as Emy.
"Oh My Korona" premiered on Aug. 6 and airs every Saturday at 7:30 pm, only on TV5.