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| max with jason abalos & sophie albert |
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| max collins |
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| max with child actor raphael landicho |
MAX COLLINS moved to GMA-7 seven years ago and she did a solo lead role once, “Innamorata”, in 2014. Mostly she’s been doing supporting or second lead roles in shows like “Coffee Prince” where she supported the Aljur-Kris love team, “Encantadia”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “TOTGA”, or guest roles in shows like “With a Smile”, “Legally Blind”, “Contessa” and “Meant to Be”.
Now, she finally gets the chance to do the lead dramatic role once more in “Bihag”, which starts showing on Monday, April 1, at 3:25 PM, right after “Dragon Lady”. She plays the role of Jessie, the loving wife of a doctor, Jason Abalos as Brylle, who gets the shock of her life when their son, child actor Raphael Landicho as Ethan, goes missing and turns out to be kidnapped.
Later on, she also finds out that her husband was unfaithful to her and had an affair with a psychotic woman, Sophie Albert as Reign, who may or may not be the kidnapper of her son. So how did she prepare for her role a young mother?
“I made some personal research about motherhood,” she says. “I also spent time with some friends na mga nanay to get to know how they feel. Basically, this serves na rin as some sort of a training for me in the event that I become a future mom in real life. In the process, mas minahal ko yung character ko as a mother and as a wife. Before this project kasi, wala talaga akong alam about being a mom, kahit na yung how to carry a baby. But now, unti-unti, I can feel it na.
"My child here, may learning disability siya kaya over protective ako sa kanya and ang feeling ko talaga, tunay na anak ko nga siya. Ang dami ng luhang umagos sa mga mata ko rito mula nang ma-hostage siya sa schoolbus at, later on, nang mawala siya at nakidnap pala. Feel na feel ko ang mga eksena at kung minsan nga, nadadala ko pag-uwi sa bahay kaya nagre-react ang husband ko kasi problematic pa rin daw ang aura ko.”
So does she and her hubby, Pancho Magno, plan to have their own baby soon? “Not right away, kasi kasisimula lang nitong bago kong show and he’s also starting his own. As of now, we still enjoy the freedom of traveling together. We’ve just been to Victoria in Australia to visit his sister na doon na nakatira at kapapanganak lang. Feeling newly weds pa rin daw kami.”
So why is the title of their new show “Bihag” or captive? It’s the director, Neal del Rosario, who answers: “Lahat kasi ng characters dito, naging bihag. Simula sa bata na literal na bihag ng kung sinumang kumidnap sa kanya. Si Max, bihag naman ng takot dahil sa pagkawala ng anak niya. Si Jason Abalos, bihag ng guilt feelings niya dahil sa pagtataksil niya kay Max. Si Sophie Albert, bihag ng fatal attraction niya kay Jason na gusto niyang agawin sa family nito. Si Neil Ryan Sese, bihag ng galit niya kay Jason dahil namatay ang only daughter niya habang inooperahan nito.
"And lastly, si Mark Herras, ang pulis na nagi-imbestiga sa kaso ng kidnapping, mare-reveal in his back story na bihag pala siya ng kanyang past na may kinalaman kay Max. Ibang-iba ang material for an afternoon soap kasi hindi lang siya basta drama kundi also a suspense-thriller that will surely excite the viewers all the way at pag-iisipin sila kung sino ba talaga ang kumidnap doon sa bata.”
