Rita Daniela Making Waves In Her Role As Aubrey, The Contravidang Pokpok Who's The Mom Of Ken Chan's Child In 'Special Tatay'

RITA DANIELA was only 10 years old when she became the grand champion in “Popstar Kids”. For a while, she become a part of the singing group, Sugar Pop, whose members were recruited from that show. She was then known as Rita Iringan, but she changed it using the family name of her grandfather, the late comedian Teroy de Guzman.

Later on, when she started accepting more mature and edgier roles, she changed her name again to Rita Daniela. Right now, she’s making waves playing the role of a voluptuous contravida, Aubrey, in the hit Ken Chan soap, “My Special Tatay”. Through the years, she has played many villain roles in soaps like “The Last Prince”, “Pahiram Ng Isang Ina”, “Alice Bungisngis and Her Wonder Walis”, “Paroa: Kuwento Ni Mariposa”, “Mundo Mo’y Akin” and “Strawberry Lane”, but it’s in “My Special Tatay” that she really got noticed.

“Sobrang palaban kasi yung character ni Aubrey rito kaya markado talaga siya,” she says. “May pagkapokpok na kahit ang friends niya, tinatalo niya just to earn some money. She is the mother ng baby ni Ken as Boyet. While she was pregnant, talagang inexploit niya si Boyet at inalipin nang husto dahil handa itong ibigay kahit anong gusto niya. At one point, gusto niyang ibenta ang baby niya para magkapera pero nahuli siya ni Boyet. Kaya bina-bash siya nang husto ng viewers sa social media dahil sa sobrang sama niya bilang ina.”

How do people react to her when they see her in public? “Okay naman po. Naiintindihan naman nilang I’m just playing a role. Hindi naman ako kagaya ni Aubrey sa totoong buhay. Pero tinatanong nila ako kung may chance pa raw bumait si Aubrey kasi sobra na silang naaawa sa character ni Ken as Boyet. May sumusulat pa sa social media na magpakabait na lang daw ako para kami ni Boyet ang magkatuluyan sa ending ng show.”

For a while, Rita had to focus on her filmmaking studies at the college of St. Benilde. “Mahirap kasing balansehin ang time sa pag-aaral ng college at sa pagtatrabaho, lalo na sa soap na magdamagan ang taping. But I’m determined to finish my school and get a degree, so tiis-tiis lang hanggang sa nakatapos ako.”

Now, aside from playing Aubrey, she also sings the theme song of “My Special Tatay”. This is the revival of “Kahit Man Lang sa Pangarap” which was originally sung by Vina Morales and was also used as a theme song in “Paroa, Kuwento ni Mariposa”. She has also tried musical theatre and got good reviews for her lead performance in the APO musical with Mark Bautista.