“We had a workshop before taping started at dahil dati naman kaming friends, madali namang naibalik yung pagkakaibigan namin,” says Julia, who’s billed as the Teleserye Sweetheart. “Which is good, kasi work is so much easier kung magkakaibigan kayong lahat sa cast. And we’re lucky kasi puro magagaling ang kasama namin dito ni Enchong at ni Enrique Gil. I’m reunited with Tita Susan Roces na nakasama ko rin noon sa ‘Walang Hanggan’. Parang may lola talaga ako sa set who gives me good advice. Tapos kasama rin namin sina Pilar Pilapil, Cherie Gil, Dante Rivero, Agot Isidro and Jestoni Alarcon, na puro magagaling na artista kaya masarap katrabaho as we’re learning a lot from them. Sa story, magkapatid kami ni Enchong na anak ni Cherie Gil, but there’s a twist at magiging love triangle kami with Enrique.”
What can she say now that she has overtaken her colleague, Kathryn Bernardo, who’s still playing teeny bopper roles while she’s now assigned more mature roles? “Hindi ko naman siya naiwanan. Alagang-alaga rin naman siya ng network at di rin nawawalan ng projects. Hindi naman kami dapat pagsabungin kasi magkaiba ang genres ng projects namin. Basta ako, I’m just thankful na tuloy-tuloy ang blessings ni Lord sa’kin. I remember noong child star pa ko known as Maria Schinittka, hirap na hirap kami ng lola ko. Kapos na kapos kami at nangungutang na kami para lang makaraos. Buti na lang dumating ang ‘Mara Clara’ at doon na talaga gumanda ang career ko at bumuti ang buhay namin.”
