Tonight is the airing of the finale of Walang Hanggang Paalam, the teleserye headlined by Paulo Avelino, Zanjoe Marudo, Arci Muñoz and Angelica Panganiban.
While all of the leads have definitely paid their dues and deserve more than few column inches here, I decided to focus on Angelica.
You see, with the finale, Angelica brazenly declared in her social-media accounts that she is saying goodbye to teleseryes. She already toyed with the idea a couple of years ago, with the conclusion of light-hearted soap Playhouse, but when the opportunity to do Walang Hanggang Paalam came up, she couldn’t turn it down. Angelica reasoned that because the offer came at the start of the pandemic, when everyone was having issues on job security, here was a tangible offer and she decided to give her yes.
And why not? The role of Celine in the program is a good one. She plays a young mother who will do everything to rebuild her family after her son was kidnapped. There were scenes where she had to be strong in the face of the many adversities her character had to face in the search for her son—but oh those scenes when she would be overcome with frustration were screen gems. There was a scene where she was all out in venting her sadness and frustration and anger, having no idea if her son was still alive, and it was just so perfect. And then there were other scenes where her character had to suffer in silence—you will see it in her eyes, how she delivered her lines. Her acting was just so sublime.
But doing the soap took a toll on her. She claimed that with the lockdown taping measures as well as the demands of her character Celine, “naiyak ko na lahat.” That’s why she has decided to take a break from teleseryes with a caveat though, when the right role comes—and more importantly, if the timing is right—she is willing to eat her words and swallow her pride.
That is what I admire most about Angelica. She may be far from perfect but she is very much human, someone who always wears her heart on her sleeve. “Napakatotoo n’yang tao,” claims a longtime friend of hers. And Angelica being true to herself is one reason she has gained a legion of fans plus considerable social-media following. And when she posts messages either of her new boyfriend or of her disdain with what’s happening in the country, she is often met with messages of support. Though many followers also contradict her, Angelica claims she is already immune from this and what’s important is what is right.
And now, she feels that taking a break from doing teleseryes is the right thing to do so she can concentrate on herself.
Catch the finale of Walang Hanggang Paalam tonight on A2Z, Kapamilya Channel and TV5 after Huwag Kang Mangamba. Replacing it starting on Monday is Init sa Magdamag starring Yam Concepcion, Gerald Anderson and JM de Guzman.
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BBC Studios and ABS-CBN Corp. have announced a new scripted format agreement that will see the gripping psychological drama Doctor Foster remade for the Filipino audience.
This was the basis of the series The World of the Married that aired in Korea, which had a phenomenal run not only in Korea but around the world including in the Philippines.
Originally written by Mike Bartlett and produced by Drama Republic, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award-winning series centers around a trusted doctor whose life implodes when she suspects her husband of having an affair. The local 50 x 60 series will be made by ABS-CBN Entertainment and will go into production later this year.
The agreement will make the Philippines the sixth international market to license the Doctor Foster story, having already been adapted in South Korea, France, Russia, Turkey and India. A second series has aired in France and is currently in production in India.
André Renaud, SVP Format Sales for BBC Studios said: “It truly is an honor to know that Doctor Foster will be coming to life in the Philippines under the extraordinary creative team at ABS-CBN Entertainment. I know that they will not only craft a unique and special story, but that they will also capture the complex struggle of modern relationships from the perspective of the strong female character that sits at the heart of this series. I am confident this will be a hit among the Filipino audiences.”
Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN COO of Broadcast, said: “We are most grateful to BBC Studios for entrusting ABS-CBN Entertainment with the Philippine version of Doctor Foster. It is a privilege for us to be able to produce this highly engaging and relatable story for the Filipino audience.”
Now, who do you think will be cast in the Pinoy adaptation? Jodi? Judai? Dimples? Arci? Julia Montes? We’ll just have to wait and see.