Diamond Star Maricel Soriano recently disclosed that she was initially offered the lead role in the 1981 film "Katorse," which eventually became the breakout movie of Dina Bonnevie with Alfie Anido and Gabby Concepcion. However, the King of Comedy Dolphy, who stood as her father, declined the offer on her behalf.

Maricel revealed during the press conference for the newest comedy television series, "3-iN-1," with the Quizon brothers on Net25. The award-winning actress revealed how Dolphy had a significant role in shaping her career in show business.

"I remember sabi niya sino ba itong kutong lupa na ito, ke bago-bago, daldalera. Pero nag-iisa lang talaga siyang Hari ng Comedy. Si Dolphy po. Yan ang hari po talaga.

(I remember he said who is this louse? She's just a newbie and babbling. But he's really the only King of Comedy. It's Dolphy. That's the real king.)

"Nabigyan po ako ng pagkakataon na maging part na gumanap sa isang sitcom (John En Marsha) na sila po ang kasama ko (Nida Blanca and Dolphy) kaya napaka-blessed ko po talaga.

(I was given the opportunity to be part of a sitcom (John En Marsha) with them (Nida Blanca and Dolphy). So I'm really blessed.)

"Sa hinaba-haba ng panahon, kapag meron po akong gagawi, magkakatanong muna ako sa 'Daddy,' kung papayag siya.

(In the long run, when I have something to do, I will first ask 'Daddy,' if he agrees.)

"Kinukuha ako before sa Regal na gawin ko po yung 'Katorse.' So nagsabi ako sa Daddy Sabi niya, 'bakit ganun ang title?' Parang hindi okay. Paka-usap mo sa akin yung manager mo. May manager ka ba?

(I was offered by Regal to do 'Katorse.' So I told Daddy. He said, 'Why is the title like that?' It doesn't seem okay. I want to talk to your manager. Do you have a manager?)

"Sabi ko, 'Opo Daddy. Papupuntahin ko ba rito?' Oo, kakausapin ko. Tapos hindi ako pinayagan. Hindi talaga ako pinayagan ni Daddy. Kaya hindi ko po nagawa yung pelikulang yun.

(I said, 'Yes, Daddy.' I want to talk to him. Then, I wasn't allowed (to do the project). Daddy really didn't allow me (to do it). That's why I didn't do that movie.)

"Nine years old po ako noon. Noong 16 ako, ginawa ko na po yung 'Underage' kami pong tatlo ni Dina (Bonnevie) and Snooky (Serna). Pero hindi pa rin ako noon umaalis sa comedy.

(I was nine years old at the time. When I was 16, I did 'Underage' with Dina (Bonnevie) and Snooky (Serna). But I still didn't leave comedy then.)

"Tapos na po yun pero hindi naman puwedeng i-deny ako na anak ako ni Dolphy dahil galing po ako sa John En Marsha.

(That's over. But I can't deny that I'm Dolphy's daughter because I came from 'John En Marsha.')

"Sa tunay na buhay miyembro po ako ng broken family. Pero hindi po ibig sabihin nun ay hindi ko naranasan o matikman ang magkaroon ng buong pamilya. Hindi po totoo yun.

(In real life, I'm a member of a broken family. But that doesn't mean I didn't experience or taste having a whole family. That's not true.)

"Noong kasama ako sa John En Marsha parang inangkin ko sila bilang nanay at tatay ko. So sila po ang rason kaya alam ko kung ano ang pakiramdam ng may isang buong pamilya. Yan po ang nagawa sa akin ng John En Marsha at ng Daddy," she said.

(When I was with John En Marsha, I claimed them as my mother and father (Dolphy and Nida). So, they are the reason why I know what it feels like to have a whole family. That's what 'John En Marsha' and Daddy did to me.)

Eric and Maricel

Maricel had been close to Eric's family since she was nine when she appeared in the hugely popular comedy series "John En Marsha."

"Pamilya po kami. Nagmamahalan po kami at may kasamang pananakot yun," said Maricel when asked about his lasting friendship with Eric, son of Dolphy. (We are family. We love each other and that includes threats.)

Eric traced his relationship with Maricel.

"Naging screen partners din kami ni Maria. Isa sa mga unang pelikula ko, si Maria ang naging partner ko. And since then, marami pa kaming nagawang pelikula.

(Maria and I also became screen partners. In one of my first films, Maria became my partner. And since then, we have done many more films.)

"Ang pinanggalingan naman namin is bata pa kami magkaibigan na kami. At saka parang naging anak na rin siya ng Daddy ko.

(What we come from is that we were friends when we were young. And then it's like she's become my Daddy's daughter too.)

"Ang Daddy ko kapag naging anak ka niya sa pelikula o TV, parang automatic anak ka na rin niya. Si Maria, nine-years-old pa lamang siya, kasama na siya sa John En Marsha, one of the longest-running sitcoms in the Philippines. It ran for more than 20 years. So matagal talaga silang nagsama. So marami silang ginawa ni Maria.

(My Daddy, when you become his child on film or TV, you're automatically his child, too. Maria, who's only nine years old, is already in John En Marsha, one of the longest-running sitcoms in the Philippines. It ran for more than 20 years. So they were together for a long time. So Maria did a lot (of projects) with him.)

"And then kami naman, noong mga panahong nasa Regal pa kami, or mga bata pa kami, naging barkada na kami. We hang out together. It came to a point na naging magkapitbahay pa kami. Binubwisit ko siya. Pero siya naman kapag kumakatok sa akin, hindi ko talaga sinasagot," said Eric.

(And then we, when we were still at Regal, or when we were kids, we became friends. We hung out together. It came to a point that we became neighbors.)

Maricel said: "Nagpe-pretend siya na wala siya sa apartment. Pero sabi ko alam ko andyan ka sa kuwarto mo. Lumabas ka dyan! Pero tested na ang relationship namin."

(He's pretending he's not in the apartment. But I said I know you're in your room. Get out of there! But our relationship has been tested.)

Eric acknowledged past misunderstandings with Maricel, but they always resolved the issues.

"Kasi kami kapag halimbawa may sama ng loob, isusumbat iya agad sa akin. Ikaw ha, ganito, ganyan, ganyan. Ako naman, 'Sorry.' Para sa'yo rin naman yun, di ba?

(For example, if we have a grudge, she will scold me. Then I will say, 'Sorry.' That's for your own good, isn't it?)

"So kami, we can tell each other anything at maiintindihan namin yun at nare-resolve namin. Our relationship has reached a point na maski mag-away man kami, ang ending noon, bati pa rin kami. 

(We can tell each other anything, we can understand that, and we can resolve it. Our relationship has reached a point where even if we fight, the ending is that we are still happy.)

"Ganyan din kasi ang relationship ko with my brothers and sisters. Maski nag-aaway kami, and ending namin ay bati pa rin kami. Kumbaga yung away na yun, pagkatapos nun, tapos na talaga yun," Eric also said.

(My relationship with my brothers and sisters is also like that. Even though we fight, we always mend our differences. After we settled our differences, we forgot about what happened.)

Eric said working with an award-winning actress like Maricel is always a thrill.

"Madali siyang i-direct. Ang maganda kasi sa comedy, pwede mong i-lead. kapag may sinabi kang root word, or word that's important, madaling makuha at madaling daanin sa ad-lib," he said.

Maricel said: "Kapag hindi niya ako binigyan ng dialogue, nag-da-dialogue ako mag-isa. Madaling pakisamahan si Eric bilang director. Bigyan mo lang siya ng pagkain, tatahimik na yan."

Eric agreed. "Ganun talaga ako. Sisigaw ako sa set ng ganito ganyan. Pero kapag may nakita akong pagkain sa harap ko, tumitigil talaga ako."

Aside from Maricel and Eric, "3-iN-1" stars Epy Quizon, Vandolph Quizon, Boy2 Quizon, Donna Cariaga, Berwyn Meily, Long Mejia, and Angie Castrense. 

"3-iN-1" airs on Net25 Sundays at 8 p.m.