Max is glad that after playing a short special role in “Encantadia” as the ill-fated sister of Marian Rivera, she now gets a full length role on a primetime soap. She plays the third wheel in the relationship of Lovi Poe and Tom Rodriguez in “Someone to Watch Over Me”. So is she portrayed as a contravida?
“No, hindi naman,” she says. “Sa story kasi, after magka-Alzheimer’s disease si Tom as TJ, nabura yung memories niya about his own wife, played by Lovi as Joanna. Strangely, what he remembers is yung relationship niya with his first girlfriend, si Irene, at ako yun. So pinakiusapan ako ni Lovi na samahan muna sila sa bahay to give Tom company dahil ako lang ang naaalala niya. Hindi ko naman inaagaw si Tom from Lovi dahil si Lovi ang nag-request sa akin. The villain here is the Alzheimer’s disease, not me.”
She says this is her most daring show so far. “I have kissing scenes, love scenes with Tom and our director, Maryo de los Reyes, ayaw niyang pinepeke at pauulit-ulit niya, so we try to be as realistic as possible.”
Won’t Pancho get jealous? “Matagal na rin kami, four years na this October, at nalaman kong mabait talaga siya. God-fearing, he brought me to Victory church, and he’s also very understanding. He knows part ito ng work namin as actors so naiintindihan niya, but he said na hindi na lang niya papanoorin yung love scenes so he won’t be affected at all.”
How about Tom’s GF, Carla Abellana? “We’re not close friends, pero nagbabatian naman kami when we see each other. She’s also professional and open-minded, so alam niyang trabaho lang ang ginagawa namin ni Tom. Di mas dapat na kay Tom siya magalit kasi may love scenes din si Tom with Lovi na walang boyfriend. E, ako, may boyfriend ako so careful din ako sa mga eksena with Tom.”
It’s good she no longer hides the real score between her and Pancho? “Nakakapagod, e. Noon, sinasabi pa naming we’re just exclusively dating. But now, we’re proud of our relationship kasi we’re important to each other. It’s better to be honest.”
Do they have any wedding plans? “As of now, that’s too early. I’m only 24. We’re taking it one day at a time. We want to focus muna on our careers, be sure stable na kami before we settle down. Darating din naman yun, pero sa tamang panahon.”
