Kapuso Primetime Princess Barbie Forteza has found the right balance between her onscreen and offscreen partners.
"With Jak (Roberto), hindi talaga namin siya pinag-usapan. Hindi ko alam kung ganun kalawak ang mindset n'ya pero wala kasi siyang pinakita sa akin na dahilan para i-explain ko pa sa kanya yung situation," said Barbie, when asked if she and Jak ever discussed her onscreen partner Pambansang Ginoo David Licauco, during an interview on "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda" on GMA Network recently.
(With Jak (Roberto), we didn't discuss him. I'm unsure if he has a broad mindset, but he gave me no reason to explain the situation to him.)
Barbie addied: "Siguro nanggagaling yun sa parehong pangarap na maabot namin ang ganitong klaseng recognition and makilala rin. So parang alam na namin sa sarili namin na suportahan na lang talaga.
(It may come from the same dream that we can achieve this recognition and be recognized. We are already aware that we should be supportive of each other.)
"With David, I'm not sure if he talked to Jak about it. It would have been nice pero hindi naman kailangan. It's all about maturity for the whole situation galing sa aming tatlo. Pero ang pinakamagandang nakuha namin sa trabahong ito ay yung friendship namin hindi nawala. Walang nasira," said Barbie, who in real life, is in a relationship with Jak.
(With David, I wonder if he talked to Jak about it. It would have been nice, but it's not necessary. It's all about maturity for the situation from the three of us. But the best thing we got from this job is friendship. Nothing is broken.)
Barbie and David explore action adventures and romantic moments in GMA Network’s remake of the hit movie, "Maging Sino Ka Man," which premieres Sept. 11.
Asked if she ever watched the original movie "Maging Sino Ka Man," starring Sharon Cuneta and Robin Padilla, Barbie said: "Pinanood ko yung pelikula hindi dahil sa pressured ako kundi gusto ko siyang mapanood. Mabuti na lang talaga meron online. I really love the film. Sobrang nakakatawa. Iba talaga yung presence ng ating megastar sa pelikulang ito."
"Hindi naman siya conscious effort na ibahin. Definitely iba yung magagawa ko dahil wala namang makakapantay sa ating megastar. Pressure on my part na hindi nila makita si Klay. Hindi para ma-compare sa original dahil hindi siya ka-compare compare," Barbie said.
The 26-year-old star also admitted that her mother is a proud fan of Sharon.
Barbie was asked if there would be any kissing scenes in the TV series. "I have yet to find out."
"Maging Sino Ka Man" follows the story of Monique (Barbie) and Carding (David), who come from two different worlds— one is an heiress of a business empire whose life is in danger, while the other is a petty thief who looks after orphans.
The two are fated to meet and discover a shared past that could either build or tear them apart. How will Monique and Carding turn each other’s world upside down?
The breakthrough pairing will surely bring swoon-worthy nights to viewers once again. But fans will see more of their irresistible sense of humor and heart-pounding action stunts this time.
Barbie even shared her preparations for the series where she will play dual roles as Monique, a passionate artist, and as Dino, her boyish disguise. “I watched one of my favorite actresses, Hilary Swank, to get a reference for the role of Dino. Then, I considered making Monique more sophisticated and liberated to emphasize the difference between the two characters. I always like to challenge myself to make my characters more complex yet relatable and full of depth,” said Barbie.
David also highlighted how challenging it is to portray Carding, “Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa action scenes because I always work out and I'm an athlete. Pero ‘yung memorization of action scenes, it’s not that easy. Also, sanay ako na palaging mayaman ang roles ko, but with Carding, talagang 180 degrees turn around siya. Kaya ‘yun ang naging challenge sakin.”
Meanwhile, Barbie admitted to feeling nervous yet excited about this big project. She said, “I am honored and grateful to have been entrusted with a remake of such an iconic film. It’s a good kind of pressure because my characters are tweaked to fit me, so I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome of our show.”
David, on the other hand, tries to take it day by day and does his best all the time. “I feel grateful to GMA for this opportunity. This all happened because of ‘Maria Clara At Ibarra,’ so I want to thank Direk Zig Dulay and everyone who believed in me. And now it’s ‘Maging Sino Ka Man’ with Barbie. It’s always such a treat to work with her. Gusto ko ring pasalamatan ‘yung fans. Because of them, nakuha ko ang role na ito.”
Set to breathe life to equally essential roles in the special limited series are some of Sparkle’s most sought-after stars: Juancho Triviño as Gilbert Arnaiz, Faith Da Silva as Cleo Ramirez, Mikoy Morales as Gordon a.k.a. Libag, Rain Matienzo as Tetay.
“Maging Sino Ka Man” also comprises some of the country’s most respected artists in film and television: E.R. Ejercito as Boss Frank, Jeric Raval as Alex, Jean Saburit as Shonda, Juan Rodrigo as Miguel, Antonio Aquitania as Jonas, and Jean Garcia as Belinda Salazar.
Completing the star-studded cast is the special participation of Al Tantay as Osmundo and Tonton Gutierrez as George.
“Maging Sino Ka Man” is made possible under the supervision of GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable; Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; Assistant Vice President for Drama Helen Rose S. Sese; Senior Program Manager Camille D. Hermoso; and Executive Producer Darling Pulido-Torres.
The creative team behind this much-awaited series comprises Creative Director Aloy Adlawan; Senior Writers Benjamin Benson Logronio and John Kenneth de Leon; Head Writer Mark Duane Angos; Brainstormer Louize Andrei Al-Shehri.
Catch the world premiere of “Maging Sino Ka Man” — under the helm of esteemed director Enzo Williams — Mondays to Fridays at 8 p.m. on GMA Telebabad and at 9:40 p.m. on GTV.