Why Marian wants to trade places with Gabby for a day

As a mother, Marian Rivera is now more particular about the kind of projects she chooses. As much as possible, she wants something that espouses good values and can be enjoyed by her two kids.

“My Guardian Alien” is just that.

“I was honest with GMA 7 about the kinds of projects I want. And when this story was presented to me through Zoom, I was like, ‘Oooh, parang ayoko nang latagan ng ibang kwento.’ When I realized that it’s an original concept … that it’s fantasy and promotes good values, I knew that there was no reason for me to pass up on it,” she said at a recent press conference.

As such, Marian couldn’t have asked for a better vehicle for her return to primetime after five years.

“I really wanted this project. It’s new for me and I’m sure my kids will be able to watch it. I want something I can proudly show to them. I’m at a point in my life where I want them to be proud of me with every project that I do,” said Marian, who has two kids with Dingdong Dantes: Zia, 8, and Sixto, 4. “The show is worth all the wait.”

In “My Guardian Alien,” which began airing weeknights on April 1, Marian plays Katherine, a doting wife and mother, who meets an untimely death after getting caught in a shooting incident. The tragedy sends her husband, Carlos (Gabby Concepcion), and her son, Doy (Raphel Landicho), into a spiral.

On the night of the wake, a mysterious pod carrying an extraterrestrial being lands on Earth. Carlos and Doy are unaware that the alien has escaped and assumed the likeness of Katherine. “The show asks about the meaning of life. Is it love? Concern for others? Or is it thinking about oneself?” she said.

While Marian is an experienced actress, being away from the grueling teleserye grind made taping quite challenging at first.

“I had a hard time when we were starting because this is my first time doing a soap again. I didn’t know where my angles were and where the lighting was. I really had to feel my way around. Even with the lines, I had a little bit of difficulty. Memorizing was hard. But with the help of people around me, my job became easier.”

A good person

Her leading man, Gabby, for instance, helped keep the mood light on the set. “Magaan ka-work si kuya. Walang tulak-kabigin. He’s a kind coworker. He loves joking around. And I appreciate the moments we talked about each other’s lives,” Marian said.

The two actors were supposed to be paired on four previous occasions. Now, it’s finally happened. “If you ask me which cast member I would like to trade [lives] with for a day, it would be Gabby because I saw how much he loves his family, which I appreciate. He’s a good person,” she added.

Marian personally requested that Zig Dulay (“Firefly,” “Maria Clara at Ibarra”) direct the series.

Collaborating with people

“I hadn’t met him yet, but I asked if we could have him as director and ‘di naman niya ako tinanggihan,” she said. “Direk Zig never fails to give me pointers on what kind of acting I need to show for my scenes … I’m happy I found a new family through this show. All these are blessings.”

As someone who started out as an indie filmmaker, Zig never imagined himself working in the mainstream, let alone with the likes of Marian and Gabby.

“I guess the pressure in the mainstream is that more people get to see it. Marian has a lot of followers, so you can’t put out something that’s not good!” said Zig, who’s not one to get too overconfident, despite the box-office and critical success of his recent projects.

“I’m just as good as my team. It’s not just me. I’m not the boss. I just lead the team and do my best to make sure that everyone’s talent and skills mesh together and are put to good use. I know I’m collaborating with people who care about putting together a good show,” he said. INQ