Photo by Jerome Ascano/NPPA ImagesFamily relationships, rivalry and revenge; all these will come to an end as the 2010 TV drama remake "Mara Clara" makes its grand finale on June 3, Friday.Young stars Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes who reprised the roles of "Mara" and "Clara," which were previously played by Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes, are having mixed emotions now that their first lead TV drama is ending.
At the press conference held in ELJ Building in ABS-CBN compound last week, Kathryn and Julia shared their thoughts and experiences in playing the lead roles in ABS-CBN's primetime TV series, as well as their future projects. "Mixed emotions, kase po masaya kase nakabuo kami ng bagong pamilya, friends. Masaya kase maganda yung feedback ng tao. Malungkot kase matatapos na po kami," Julia said, who came to the presscon straight from her taping.
Kathryn also echoed the same sentiments of Julia who were both happy of the good response of the viewers and sad at the same time since the show is ending. "Medyo malungkot kasi po close na po namin talaga sila direk. Pero at the same time, masaya kami kase natapos na namin ang 'Mara Clara.' Nakita naming na maganda yung kinalabasan sa lahat ng pinagpaguran namin," Kathryn said.
"Mara Clara" continues to dominate the nationwide ratings according to Kantar Media. Last Monday (May 23), earned a national rating of 33.1%, beating its competitor program.
Julia and Kathryn, who were both mainstays of the kiddie show "Goin' Bulilit," worked their way and went all through the audition process to get the lead roles. "Hindi po talaga ako dapat yung sa role kase natatakot po ako na matypecast as contrabida. Pero at least po nabigay pa rin sa akin yung role," Julia said.
From doing kiddie comedy gags to doing heavy drama scenes which require strong emotions, Julia said that she was quite challenged with the new role given to her, but her previous stints in some TV dramas also helped her. "First po, nahirapan po ako kase comedy po yung Goin' Bulilit. So, pag nag-gueguesting po, hindi naman ako pinabayaan ng Star Magic, panapag-guest din po ako sa MMK. So, medyo hindi naman po ako nahirapan sa Mara Clara," Julia told Yahoo! OMG Philippines.
Since Julia and Kathryn are reprising the characters once played by Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes, they also found their roles quite challenging to give justice to these famous TV characters. "Medyo nahirapan lang po kasi bagong character, kontrabida. Hindi po typical na nagagampanan ko sa mga guestings ko," Julia added.
In the TV series, Kathryn and Julia are rivals, so it's inevitable that they are also pitted against each other off-cam. Some were saying that they outdo each other but both denied the accusations. "Kasi po kami ni Kathryn, hindi nawawala sa amin yung nagtatanungan kami every scene. Minsan nagmomotivate po kami sa isa't isa, kasama rin po yung ibang staff," Julia told Yahoo! OMG Philippines. Julia also said that they help each other in every scene and she also draws her emotions from Kathryn's acting.
Kathryn, on the other hand, said that their different roles make them do different approaches instead of outdoing each other. "Yung roles po namin ni Julia sobrang magkaiba po. So yung atake po na ginanagawa namin, hindi talaga pareho. Unlike yung kay Clara na parati syang mataas. Every week po, hindi po na puro Mara muna, bigayan po talaga, para po fair lang yung kakalabasan sa TV," Kathryn said.
Julia also doesn't think that she's better than Kathryn when it comes to acting. She in fact attributes her deep emotions and acting to Kathryn from whom she draws her emotions. "Siya rin naman po kasi ang pinaghuhugutan ko. Hindi ko rin po mabibigay ang acting ko kung wala si Kathryn," Julia said.
The young stars are hot items recently, being linked to their co-stars and even to Sam Milby and Enchong Dee who are older than them. But, both Julia and Kathryn dismissed the rumors. When asked if Kathryn and her loveteam Albie Casiño can be a couple off-cam, "Siguro sa ngayon po hindi po muna kasi sya nga po yung ka-loveteam ko. Feeling ko po pag nagkaroon nga ng ganyan, magkakailanganan kami so ngayon po happy kami na sobrang naging close kami ni Albie. Sa bawat scene po, hindi na kami nagkakahyaan sa isa't isa," Kathryn said.
Julia and Kathryn were asked who their crushes are in local showbiz but both were mum to give specific names. They both instead said that they like Justin Bieber.
Spending months of filming for Mara Clara with the other casts and staff members, the two said that they will miss their co-workers, especially that they have already formed a bond. "Super ang babait po nila. Every scene po tinutulungan po nila kami. Pag may scene po na hindi naming magawa, humihingi po sila ng time kay direk para imotivate kami. Andun po talaga yung guidance so napakasaya po ng Mara Clara family," Julia said.
To cap off this high-rating TV series, ABS-CBN would also have a grand finale mass viewing of "Mara Clara" by bringing big LCD screens in some cities to watch the concluding episodes: May 30-San Jose, Del Monte, Bulacan,; May 31-San Mateo, Rizal; June 1-Dasmarinas, Cavite; June 2-Mandaluyong; and June 3-Plaza Miranda, Quiapo.
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