The Legaspis’ reel- and real-life family affair

Families of actors and celebrities are nothing new in local showbiz. We often see siblings, cousins, parent-child duos, and multigenerational clans sharing the spotlight. However, an entire nuclear family being actively involved in the industry all at once—and starring together in the same show—is especially rare.
This places the Legaspi family in a unique position, because they, along with the Muhlachs, are among the few—if not the only two—family units in recent memory to have such a setup.
Imagine being a tightly knit family living under one roof, then going on set to portray a completely fictitious one. This creates an interesting dynamic. While their lifelong relationship gives them instant chemistry onscreen, one can’t help but wonder if, at some point, the line between real and reel becomes blurred.
Going against instinct
For Carmina Villarroel, Zoren Legaspi, and their twins Mavy and Cassy, it all comes down to establishing clear boundaries. At home, they’re husband and wife, parents and kids, brother and sister. But the minute the cameras start to roll for their new GMA 7 drama, “Hating Kapatid,” they turn into professional colleagues.
Actually, the shift starts way before that. “I told them, ‘Kaniya-kaniya tayo. I have my own car. It’s up to you [how to get to work],’” Zoren says at a recent press conference.
He also stresses that, on set, he and Carmina see to it that they set their authority aside. “The director (Adolf Alix, Jr.) is the one in charge,” Zoren points out. “This is something we talked about when the show was first offered to us in December last year. We knew that there would be pros and cons. But whatever happens, we mustn’t meddle with each other’s work process.”

For Carmina, the challenge is going against her instinct as a doting wife and mother. “I have to condition myself that when I’m at work, I’m Carmina, the actress,” she says. “Zoren had to remind me of this because he knew I would end up worrying about his and our kids’ needs instead of focusing on my acting and sequences,” she shares.
“We’re co-actors,” she adds. “But maybe during lunch or our breaks, I can loosen up a little.”
Sibling rivalry
“Hating Kapatid,” which airs Mondays to Saturdays, follows Roselle (Carmina) and Cris (Zoren), whose complicated past leads to the rare birth of twins delivered a month apart. After Cris secretly takes one baby, the twins—Tyrone (Mavy) and Belle (Cassy)—are separated and raised in very different worlds.
The series follows the children’s inevitable reunion, as they navigate sibling rivalry and unearth ruinous family secrets.
Save for Zoren, the rest of the family was admittedly quite reluctant to accept the project when it first landed on their laps. Carmina, ever the “sigurista,” was worried about putting their collective name on the line. Cassy felt that going the sitcom route would have been the more natural choice, given their spontaneity and upbeat personalities.
But it’s not every day, Zoren points out, that an opportunity like this comes their way. “This may never happen again,” he says. “And besides, if we come in prepared and do the right thing, then there’s nothing to be scared of.”
While the Legaspis have done many commercials and worked together as co-hosts and director in a cooking talk show, this marks their first combined acting project—and an afternoon soap at that, where the expressions are bigger and the dialogue more colorfully colloquial.
The couple had concerns about their children keeping up with the energy and language but were careful not to overstep or micromanage their performance. “If they ask for help, especially with Tagalog slang, then I give them advice. But I never offer it unsolicited,” Carmina says, adding that the sight of her kids poring over their scripts at home puts her at ease.

Space to work and fly
With their parents stepping back, the twins feel trusted and respected, which ultimately boosts their confidence. “I knew going into this series that Cassy and I would have the freedom to work, while respecting each other’s boundaries,” Mavy says.
“I’m so thankful that they give us the space to work as professionals and not act like super hands-on parents who feel that they need to teach us everything. After all, we’re all artists here,” Cassy shares. “They give us breathing room and allow us to fly.”
As much as the twins strive to establish themselves as individual performers, the desire to uphold their parents’ legacy and make them proud is something they can’t easily take out of the equation. “At the back of my head, they’re still my parents and there’s pressure working with them,” Cassy admits. “But I love that we get to show a different side of our family.”
And all this, of course, while trying to give their best to the viewers—some of whom can be critical and have been critical of them in the past. You can’t please everyone, but having practically grown up in the biz, they know that this is only par for the course.
“I’m grateful for the years of positivity. Some [negative] opinions won’t change who we are, our beautiful family. I would rather let our work do the talking,” Mavy says. “This show is our love letter to the viewers…that this is us—passionate, loving human beings.”