A million deaths later

"It's nicer to slap everybody than to be slapped around! I've had 10 million deaths already, but I'm still alive!" Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. These were the words of Bing Loyzaga when asked if she enjoys playing the kontrabida. She currently plays Esperanza in Marimar, which is actually her first GMA primetime series after various stints on afternoon soaps and movies. Her last GMA project was the recently-concluded Dramarama, Sinasamba Kita, where she played one of the major antagonists of the story. (Click here for the related article!) "(In MariMar), I play Esperanza, I am the cousin of Gustavo, played by Jestoni (Alarcon). Then later on, Gustavo will have to have a heart operation, so I will be left in the mansion when MariMar moves in the house." "In the beginning, we don't get along. Syempre, aapihin ko siya! Di ba? That's what I'm called to do! But eventually, I will have sympathy for her; we will become friends, and I will help her out in the end. In the end, kakampi na niya ako." How does it feel to be back in primetime? "Actually, medyo na-shock ako! Kasi I was in the afternoon slot for a long time, and I got comfortable and used to it. (Pero) if during the afternoon I had so much pressure, ngayon, it's like ten times more! Well, of course, the taping hours are different, (taping) takes much of your time, much of your week, (and) much of yourself, basically. Kasi doble or triple 'yung ibibigay mo. The look, the acting -- more exaggerated kung baga. But of course, not too much, kasi OA naman, di ba? The bosses of GMA, I know that they trust me, that's why they placed me in primetime now. And it's my first time to do primetime in GMA. So 'yung nerbiyos ko, sobra-sobra!" Bing says that playing the villain is "juicier," because you get to do stuff you don't normally carry out on a daily basis. Dressing up extravagantly, not caring about what you say, and being the life of the party to name a few. But she says that there's also a definite downside to being mean on-screen. "Minsan nakakapagod din, 'yung bubugbog ka nang bubugbog. You wake up in the morning and go to the set really early, and the first thing you do is hit somebody! It's very draining. Kasi that's not how you are naman everyday na mainit ulo mo di ba? So sometimes, I'm like, 'Wait lang!' It's fun, but sometimes, it takes a lot from you." Bing imparts the main difference between the old and new MariMar: "mas magaganda kami!" "Ang salbahe ko!" she says with a laugh. "Actually, my role is originally Tiya Esperanza. Before we started, dati, 'Ate.' Ngayon, Esperanza na lang. Ayoko maging matanda, di ba?" "Syempre, iba pa rin ang may Pinoy touch. As much as we know that MariMar was really strong during '96, syempre, iba pa rin pag alam natin (na may) puso ng Pinoy, di ba? May ugali ng Pinoy. Kung dati, nakilig sila, e ngayon, OA na! If before, they liked it, now, they'll love it. That's the difference - like and love!" When it comes to the story, the Pinoy version does not deviate that far from the original, but Bing says that it all comes down to the execution. "It's how we're going to act it out. And I know for a fact that from the little that I've seen, na nakakagulat. I'm just really honored and privileged to be part of the cast." Talk about Esperanza in the MariMar Forum Thread!