Lovi Poe's Parents Are Both Well Trained Theatre Actors

TOMMY ABUEL and Susan Africa, the parents of Lovi Poe in “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real”, both started as well trained theater actors in the 80s. Tommy is aware that a lot of viewers hate his character, Papang Tino. “Kasi very self righteous, laging galit,” he says. “Galit ako kay Dingdong Dantes dahil dalawa ang asawa, e ganun din naman pala ako na may mga anak sa labas. When we started, wala akong idea about my role. War freak pala. Pero tumatak sa tao ang role ko dahil Papang na rin ang tawag sa akin when they see me in public.”

Susan recalls that the first time they worked together was in a stage play, “Kanser”, the CCP stage adaptation of “Noli Me Tangere”. “That was in 1982,” he says. “Siya si Crisostomo Ibarra at ako si Sisa. It was also in that play that I met my husband, Spanky Manikan. He was my acting coach.”

Susan was the first runner up in the Bb. Pilipinas pageant in 1980. Spanky is 20 years older than her. “Baguhan lang ako sa PETA, at siya, main actor na. Mabait siya at matiyaga. We now have three kids. The eldest is 24, a boy, then a girl who’s 19, and another boy who’s 16.”

Spanky now plays grandfather roles and she plays mother roles. “I used to play contravida roles, like in ‘Olongapo’ na kontrabida ko kay Jaclyn Jose. Now, I play mostly mother roles na matiisin, laging martir, like in ‘Dalawang Mrs. Real’. Enjoy ako rito sa ‘Mrs. Real’ kasi professional ang lahat. Kahit heavy drama ang eksena, nagtatawanan lang kami sa set. Suki ako sa GMA, e. Before this, I was in ‘Prinsesa ng Buhay Ko’.”

She has also just finished a new action movie, “El Brujo, for Star Cinema, directed by Tikoy Aguiluz and starring Gerald Anderson.