Kristal's dilemma, Charming's plea

It’s an emotional rollercoaster every 9 p.m. for avid viewers of Bakekang, the story of an ugly woman with a beautiful heart. What seems like Bakekang’s innocent yearning for a better life leaves her completely oblivious of how it’s taking its toll on her twins’ lives. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Lovi Poe plays Kristal, the daughter blessed with beauty her mother never had. Kristal’s twin, Charming, is an irony of her lovely name as she took after her mother’s looks, as well as the deprived childhood her mother had. Because Bakekang’s sole purpose in life is to change the way society treats her through Kristal, she unintentionally deprives Charming of her love and attention. Kristal, on the other hand, also has some serious issues of her own. Kristal’s dilemma “si Kristal, mixed emotions siya. Love niya ‘yung mom niya, pero nasasakal siya sa mom niya. Sometimes, hindi niya alam kung masasakal siya sa attention or magagalit siya kasi sobra na. Pine-pressure siya ni Bakekang (sa showbiz). So far, right now, she doesn’t feel it, but sooner or later, it’s like I’m fulfilling (Bakekang’s) dream instead of mine. Something like that,” explains Lovi. But Lovi still sees a positive aspect in her character: “Actually, in Bakekang, it shows talaga the real world of show business, e. Kaya siguro mataas ‘yung ratings kasi everyone’s curious about paano ‘yung showbiz. Si Kristal kasi, everybody’s putting her down, na hindi niya daw kaya, ganiyan. But I think that’s the good thing. I think she’s doing her best to prove everyone (wrong).” The singer/actress confesses that this is the biggest similarity between her and Kristal, because she is at a point in her life right now where the media keeps on pulling her down and spreading rumors about her. But the ever-gracious actress still made fun of it all, even saying “Hi Kristal” to her reflection in the mirror! Lovi is quick to admit, however, that the way Bakekang treats the twins is unfair. “Of course she’s unfair. And ‘yung role ni Bakekang, it’s very confusing. You don’t know kung magugustuhan mo siya or mapipikon ka sa kanya kasi mabait siya sa mga tao, (tulad ng) mga street children. Pero sa sarili niyang anak, hindi niya kasi mapakita na love niya (kasi) pareho sila ng itsura…” When it comes to emotional scenes, Lovi shares that the person she thinks of is her dad. “May scene kami na si Yasmien, nasa hospital bed, (and) I had to cry. Inisip ko when I saw my dad sa hospital,” Lovi trails off a bit teary-eyed, obviously still very much attached to her late father. Unlike her other co-stars Sunshine Dizon and Yasmien Kurdi, this is Lovi’s first primetime soap. “It’s like…not really a training, pero I learned a lot of things, especially with ate Shine (Dizon). Kasi when we talk, talagang she shares so much of the things she knows about acting. I learned so much from her. Parang ‘yung wisdom niya, pina-pass niya. Ang galling-galing niya talaga! She’s someone I look up to right now,” Lovi enthuses. With her academic life (she’s currently in fourth year high school at CSA), a singing career, and a perfect entry for show biz, Lovi definitely has everything going on for her. “Well, kasi before, I used to sing lang. But then I had this good offer, so I took it. I’m very happy naman that I’m here kasi I’m learning a lot of things, and I’m planning to go further.” Charming’s plea You’d expect Charming to be mad at the world with the way everyone treats her, including her very own mother. But instead, Charming won our hearts with her almost unrealistic kindness, loving those who hate her and trying ever so hard to accept the circumstances that she is in. Yasmien talks about the transformation that she has to go through every time they have a taping: “Grabe, sa Bakekang, the more pangit, the better! Kailangan, maitim ka, sobrang itim all over! Bawal kang maging maputi. Tapos may pustiso pa ako. Kasi mas maitim ako kay Bakekang. ‘Yun ‘yung concept, dapat mas maitim ako kay Bakekang. Parang (hinulugan) ako ng langit at lupa!” She shares that aside from the prosthetic nose and tanning lotion that she has to apply, she couldn’t wear any makeup at all – not even lipstick! People might think that it’s a breeze to make someone ugly, but if you’re as pretty as Yasmien, it’s no piece of cake. In fact, she has an earlier call time than everyone else, because it usually takes 30 to 60 minutes to put on everything. “Masaya ako sa character ko,” Yasmien says. “Kasi ‘yung character ko, mabait talaga si Charming. ‘Yung sinabi sa kaniya ni Ninang Marta (played by Manilyn Reynes) na bawal magpakasama (at) dapat lagi siyang mabait, ‘yun ‘yung laging napupunta sa isip niya. Kaya every time na gusto niya lumaban, lagi siyang nanghihina. Bigla siyang manghihina kasi naalala niya ‘yun.” Like Lovi, Yasmien cites a similarity to her character: “Kasi di ba, minsan, hindi tayo masyadong confident sa sarili natin? Feeling natin na napaka-unlucky natin? ‘Yung ganoong feeling siguro. Pero siyempre, mas marami pang mas unlucky diyan na ibang tao. Pero siguro ‘yung ibang similarity namin ni Charming, di ba minsan, galit ka sa tao, pero hindi mo maaway? Kasi minsan, tipong hindi (mo magawa) kasi hindi mo kaya.” Yasmien also disagrees with the way Bakekang treats Charming. “Sa palagay ko, hindi (tama). Kasi si Bakekang dapat hindi niya tini-treat si Charming nang ganoon. Hindi niya dapat binenta si Charming in the first place. Kahit kunwari, mamamatay na si Kristal, e time na niya talaga ‘yun, e. Time na (ni) Kristal talaga mamatay. Hindi na kasalanan ng bata kung bakit namatay ‘yung kapatid niya, di ba? Bakit kailangan pa siyang idamay at kailangan pa siyang ibenta? Hindi ko ibebenta si Charming kahit pangit siya.” Yasmien is someone used to playing typical teenybopper roles after her StarStruck days, but this is the first time her real acting skills are put to the test. “First time kong nag-portray ng role na pangit talaga. Saka sobrang challenging ‘yung mga eksena doon, and sobrang saya ko na nabigay sa akin ‘yung role. Masaya talaga ako. Gusto ko ‘yung role, and sobrang ganda ng mga eksena. And ‘yung acting abilities mo na hindi mo naipakita sa ibang show, dito mo maipapakita. So medyo masaya talaga siya, tapos kasama mo pa sina (direk) Khryss (Adalia) di ba? Masaya talaga, dirediretso (from) Encantadia.” Bakekang isn’t the first mother-daughter team up of Sunshine Dizon and Yasmien Kurdi. They were also together in the Encantadia saga, as Pirena and Mira, respectively. Yasmien explains the difference between their past and present characters: “(Sa Encantadia), lumaki siya na kinilala niya na nanay niya si Amihan. And siya ‘yung parang mayabang na type, si Mira. Gusto niya (at) alam niya, siya ‘yung magiging reyna ng Encantadia. E hindi niya alam na si (Pirena) pala (nanay niya). So ganoon na lang ‘yung galit ko kay Pirena. Unlike dito sa Bakekang, pinipilit ko siyang mahalin pero hindi niya ako minamahal. Ang minamahal lang niya si Kristal. Kulang ako sa love. Doon naman (sa Encantadia,) ayoko niya akong mahalin, ayoko siya.” Yasmien shares that aside from taking on more complex roles, she, too, has matured as a person. “Dati kasi, noong nagstart ako sa StarStruck 1, 14 years old lang ako noon. Isip bata pa ako noon, siguro masyadong sensitive, at masyadong pusong mamon. Sasabihan ka lang ng kung ano, biglang iiyak ka na lang. Pero ngayon, mas naging (tough) ako sa mga issues, kung paano i-handle mga issues, at kung paano i-handle ang iba’t-ibang klaseng tao. Before kasi, ‘pag may nagsabi lang sa’yo, na ‘Ay, suplada ‘yan, ganiyan,’ parang na-misinterpret ka, kaagad na akong iiyak, parang affected na. E ngayon, parang part of showbiz na yan.” Will Bakekang ever learn to love her two daughters equally? Find out by tuning in every weeknight right after Atlantika! Subscribe to daily episode guides of Bakekang! Text BAKEKANG ON and send to 4627. And get to know more about Yasmien and Lovi through Fanatxt! Simply text YASMIEN or LOVI and send to 4627. Each text costs P2.50 for Globe, Smart, TM and Talk N Text subscribers, and P2.00 for Sun Cellular subscribers.