LAURICE GUILLEN directs her first teleserye in GMA-7’s “Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas”. “I resisted offers to do a soap before as I’m afraid sa three days a week na taping, tapos magdamagan pa, puro meetings pa, baka hindi ko kaya. But GMA is very reasonable. They told me, tingnan mo muna kung makakaya mo. And so far, wala naman kaming puyatan. The meetings were sa start lang nang binubuo ang story. After that, puro emails na lang at nagko-comment na lang ako. I’m really pleased with the way the script is written, hindi revise ng revise. The story is very absorbing. Gloria Romero is the first wife of Freddie Webb but they separated and Freddie married Liza Lorena. Gloria had Cesar Montano with another man at si Liza, naging anak si Gary Estrada kay Freddie. Gary is babaero here at nabuntis yung maid nila, si Ina Feleo. Si Lovi Poe ang magiging anak nila, na inaapi ni Liza. When Lovi grows up, Rocco Nacino and his girlfriend, Charee Pineda, deceive her and her dad, Gary. Dito papasok ang element ng revenge. Helping Lovi is Cesar, who dumps his girlfriend, Solenn Heussaff, for her. Also in the cast are Glenda Garcia as the assistant of Liza, Ruru Madrid as Charee’s brother, Tiya Pusit as the mayordoma and Steven Silva as Rocco’s best friend”.
So how is it working with Lovi? “I’ve directed her before in ‘Magpakailanman’ so we already know each other’s working style. Lovi is very relaxed in front of the camera but malakas ang charisma niya. Kuhang-kuha niya ang character na gusto kong palabasin niya. I’m glad to be reunited with my former stars here, with Gloria Romero who won several best actress awards for our ‘Tanging Yaman’, Cesar Montano who won his first acting award in our ‘Ang Bukas ay Akin’ for Seiko in 1989 and Gary Estrada na ako ang first director in ‘Apoy sa Puso’ when he was only 17 years old. Ang first timers sa’kin dito are Liza, Rocco and Charee, pero walang problema kasi lahat sila, magaling and very cooperative.”
