“FIRST LADY”, the sequel to the 2021 GMA-7 primetime hit “First Yaya”, will start airing on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
This means the fairy tale journey of Sanya Lopez as Yaya Melody continues, but this time, she is now the wife of the country’s president, Gabby Concepcion as Pres. Glen Acosta, and she is the country’s First Lady.
Director L.A. Madridejos says: “Tuloy ang puso ng show na magbigay ng saya at positive vibes sa panahon ng pandemya. Sama sama ang buong pamilya sa panonood gabi-gabi. Hindi puedeng ang Season 2 is just like Season 1, so this is much bigger.
"Timely nga ito kasi panahon ng election ngayon so magibigay rin ng kami ng insights tungkol sa mundo ng politicians and what is happening behind the scenes.”
What can Sanya say now that she is a big star whose hit show on GMA Telebabad even has a sequel?
“Honestly, hindi pa pumapasok sa isip ko yung sinasabi nilang big star ako at ayokong ilagay yun sa ulo ko,” she says during the presscon for “First Lady”. “Ang feeling ko, ako pa rin yung dating Sanya, wala namang nagbabago sa akin. Pero thankful talaga ako na nagkaroon ng Season 2 ang show namin kasi hindi naman lahat ng shows nabibigyan ng ganoong pagkakataon.”
So, which is more difficult to do: “FIrst Lady” or “First Yaya”? “Definitely, itong ‘First Lady’, mas mahirap talaga siya kasi they even gave me some workshops to help prepare me for my role as the First Lady. Siempre, dapat, mas refined na ang kilos ko bilang unang ginang ng bansa.”
In the story, they will get her consultants to help her become more presentable as the First Lady.
“Yes, bibigyan nila ako ng advisers na puro dating First Ladies para turuan ako on how to dress up, how to behave as a First Lady. Pero lahat sila, may lihim na galit sa akin, kasi dati lang akong yaya tapos naging asawa ng president. They will tell me: Once a yaya, always a yaya! Gagawin nila ang lahat para mapahiya ako. So ako naman, I will try to prove to them na nagkakamali sila.”
But the former First Ladies who want to embarrass her in front of the public are not the only villains in her life. An addition to the cast is Alice Dixson as Atty. Ingrid Domingo, former girlfriend of Gabby when they were still students in America.
Gabby hires her to be his political adviser, without him knowing na she has secret plans to take revenge on him for forsaking her before and to now bring him down. Alice will also pretend to be a friend of Sanya but will later also try to do some mischief to discredit her.
Also in the cast are Rocco Nacino as Mayor Valentine, Isabel Rivas, Francine Prieto and Samantha Lopez as the former First Ladies who are asked to help Sanya but only plan to humiliate her.
Former members of the cast who are also in the sequel include: Glenda Garcia as scheming reporter Marni Tupaz, Sandy Andolong and Buboy Garovillo as parents of Sanya, Annalyn Barro as Sanya’s sister and Anjo Damiles as her husband, Pilar Pilapil as meddlesome Gabby’s mom, Pancho Magno and Thia Tomalia as Gabby’s security,
Thou Reyes as the chief of staff, Maxine Medina as Gabby’s former girlfriend, Cassy Legaspi, Clarence Delgaco and Patricia Coma as Gabby’s kids, JD Domagoso as Cassy’s love interest, Kakai Bautista, Shyr Valdez and Cai Cortez as workers in the palace and many more.
The show’s head writer and creator, Joji Nones, says “First Lady” is harder to do and they have to get political consultants to help them write the script.
“We did a lot of research to level up,” he says. “One of our consultants is a mover of past elections and another is a member of the presdential management staff but they’ll remain incognito kasi we want to show na neutral kami. We’re now pink or yellow. We’re purple.
"We don’t want to be affiliated with any candidate. Our advisers told us about the things that a First Lady can do and cannot do. Mas mahirap ang scripting nito kasi andaming layers, but God is guiding us through the entire process.
"Hopefully, ‘First Lady’ will be a successful as ‘First Yaya’, or even more successful, and who knows, baka mabigyan pa kami ng third season na ‘First Family’ na magkakaroon na ng sarili nilang baby sina Pres. Glenn and Melody. If the Lord would will it, then it will happen.”
