Tirso Cruz III: 'I don't see how we can really go wrong.'

As the story of “Ikaw Sana” continues to unfold, iGMA catches up with Tirso Cruz III to discuss his role, the show, and what he hopes viewers can get from watching GMA-7's latest original prime time offering. Text by Jason John S. Lim. Interview by Erick P. Mataverde. Photos by Mio de Castro. Did you know that Tirso Cruz III was initially told that his role as Gener Montemayor is evil? "From what I've gathered, medyo gray matter ako," kuwento niya sa amin during the pictorial of Ikaw Sana, before they started taping for the series. "Medyo masama na naman ng konti," was how he described his character then. Pero once the show actually started, ibang Gener ang nakilala ng mga viewers. A little gray, yes, but not completely black. "I'm playing the father of Jennylyn [Mercado] and Pauleen [Luna]. He adds, "I'm very thankful na pinagkatiwalaan ako [nina] Miss Helen [Sese, executive producer], na kinast niya ako dito sa [show]." While this might be the first time he'll have Pauleen as a daughter, medyo sanay na si Tirso makatrabaho sina Jennylyn at Mark Herras bilang mga anak niya. He has also played father to each of them in I Luv NY and Paano Ba Ang Mangarap? respectively. Mas mahaba nga lang ang exposure niya ngayon. "Hindi na mamamatay ['yung character ko]," he confirms. Tirso tells us that in Paano ba ang Mangarap?, nasa original movie naman daw talaga ang pagkamatay ng character niya. "Actually," he continues, "medyo na-stretch pa nga ako roon sa ginawa natin. 'Yung sa original, medyo maikli lang talaga 'yung role ni Vic Silayan." Dagdag niya, he's happy to be working with Mark and Jennylyn again. At sino pang co-worker niya ang natutuwa siyang kasama niya ulit? Si Maritoni Fernandez! "Ilang beses ko na siya naging asawa," kuwento sa amin ni Tirso. "And the last time it was also fun, it was nice." Of course, he enjoys working with the whole cast-and even the crew. Ika nga niya, maraming reunions ang naganap para sa kanya through Ikaw Sana. "I don't see how we can really go wrong," Tirso shares, after noting that the cast and crew have all worked together before, and knows how to interact with each other. "Para sa akin, the most important thing is 'yung may bonding kaming mga artista. "It's nice to look forward and go to a set wherein alam mong, of course nandoon 'yung professional side of you, [pero] alam mo 'yung work will somehow come out to be light and interesting, dahil alam mong you'll be working among people na very professional din--people who care for you, for each other; people who support each other. I feel magiging maganda 'to." Kaya naman Tirso hopes more people will watch Ikaw Sana. "Sa mga techie nating mga kaibigan, mga onliners, I hope you do support this soap." He adds, "The only thing we can really promise you is we'll be putting our best foot forward. And we'll try to give you something worth watching, entertaining and at the same time may message. Hopefully most of you out there will be able to relate to certain situations [dito] sa soap namin." Ikaw Sana airs weekday afternoons, bago mag-24 Oras. Pag-usapan ang Ikaw Sana sa pinagandang iGMA Forum! Not yet a member? Register here!