MARIAN RIVERA
How Marian got the role
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 01:07am (Mla time) 06/24/2007
MANILA, Philippines - As envisioned by GMA 7, it was a much-hyped search, complete with the same vertiginous plot twists inherent in most Mexican telenovelas.
Indeed, the quest for the lead star of the all-Filipino remake of "Marimar" included a cast of hopefuls from both the Kapamilya and Kapuso channels. It even had an intriguing subplot involving the purported refusal of Angel Locsin to accept the plum role originated by Mexican superstar Thalia in the mid-1990s.
In the end, GMA 7 found its "Marimar" in Marian Rivera, a 22-year-old graduate of afternoon soap operas.
Wilma Galvante, senior vice president for Entertainment TV, told Inquirer Entertainment that Marian had bested other aspirants with her mestiza looks and acting skills.
"We actually had a screen test. She was asked to read for the part. In fact, we will show the video of her test on 'Showbiz Central' [today]," Galvante recounted.
Added Joyce Bernal, who will direct the series along with Mac Alejandre, "She has the right combination of innocence and sex appeal."
Galvante said the selection committee was composed of network executives, including chief executive officer and president Felipe Gozon.
Rivera told the Inquirer that she was asked by the panel to do three scenes on audition day: "A heavy drama scene, a light-hearted moment with [nanny] Corazon and [talking dog] Folgoso and a dance sequence."
"At first, I was nervous; the lines were given to me on the spot," she recalled.
To backtrack a bit: The Kapuso network acquired the remake rights from Televisa, the Mexican company that produced "Marimar."
Local color
Galvante explained: "Televisa gave us an English copy of the script. Apart from translating it, we were also allowed to embellish and imbue it with local color."
But is a show that first became a hit in the mid-1990s, still relevant in 2007?
"Yes," Galvante said. "It tells an eternal story. Timeless. Very komiks. It's about an oppressed heroine who triumphs."
Rivera was just 11 years old when "Marimar" became a nationwide phenomenon in 1996.
Rivera looked back: "I wasn't a regular viewer, but I remember that Thalia was a good singer and dancer. She's sophisticated and sexy. I also heard that she had a rib removed to become sexier."
Major makeover
No, she's not planning to have a rib or two removed, too, although GMA 7 is pulling out all the stops for a major makeover.
Said Galvante, "After 'Showbiz Central,' she will undergo re-imaging. We will not show her in public until her unveiling."
Taking over the part of Marimar's lover Sergio, originally played by Latino hunk Eduardo Capetillo, is Dingdong Dantes.
"When I got the role, Dingdong called me," Rivera related. "He said he's looking forward to the show. I'm also excited. It's our first time to work together [and] we hope we'll hit it off."
Another edge over the other candidates could be her Latina blood.
She was born in Madrid to a Spanish father and Filipino mother, but was raised by her grandma in Bacoor, Cavite.
Rivera admitted that she's daunted by the big break. "I'm praying hard," she said.
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