Marian Rivera on box office triumph and family commitment
T was definitely worth the wait for Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera as their comeback film, “Rewind,” became the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.
According to Star Cinema, the Metro Manila Film Festival entry has earned a total of P902 million as of January 31. This success led the Senators to adopt a resolution on February 19, congratulating and commending the artists and production crew behind “Rewind” for their achievement.
Sen. Robin Padilla, who introduced Senate Resolution No. 909, saying “This achievement is a testament to the return of a vibrant and flourishing Philippine film industry — attributed to the hard work and commitment of artists, writers, directors and all members of the production teams.”
He said recognizing the victory of Rewind as well as the people behind it proves the people’s pride and gratitude to those who relentlessly work to contribute to the evolution of the country’s cinematic landscape.
“Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera-Dantes serve as inspiration, not only as artists on screen but also as one of the inspiring couple celebrities championing family values, entrepreneurship and philanthropic deeds to help our fellow countrymen,” Padilla added.
During her fifth-year celebration with Tough Mama Appliances, Rivera expressed her surprise at the success of their film, especially considering their main goal was simply to convey a message to the Filipino audience.
“My husband and I talked while we were filming Rewind. We hoped that people would come out because, of course, after the pandemic, we didn’t know if people would return to watching movies in theaters. So we prayed that they would come out,” she said.
“On the first day, we were surprised because people didn’t just line up for Rewind. They were excited to watch almost all Filipino films and lined up for them. So from that moment, we thought, ‘Wow, the sense of joy for the film industry has returned.’ We are very thankful. We thought that whatever earnings we make would just be a bonus, but the message we wanted to convey after people watched Rewind, that’s what we truly wanted. Many were moved, and for many, this served as a wakeup call. We were really made a symbol to deliver this message to people,” Rivera added.
The actress also admitted that she did not have time to pause because after Rewind, she jumped to another project with her husband, the second season of the GMA Network sitcom “Jose & Maria’s Bonggang Villa.” She’s also in the thick of preparing for the upcoming the fantasy-drama “My Guardian Alien” with Gabby Concepcion.
“I still haven’t been able to rest. Like I said, after the movie, from October to January, it’s been non-stop. Even during Christmas, we were out, but that’s okay. We really explained to our children how important this project is for us, and they supported us, especially Zia, who understands now. So I said that now that I have a bit of a break, even just for a day or two, we’ll spend time with them,” Rivera shared.
On the days when she has time to bond with their children Zia and Sixto, she makes sure to cook for them. “The children are not picky eaters. We raised them to eat steamed vegetables,” she pointed out.
Indeed, with her signature parenting style as a hands-on supermom to spending quality time with her family and whipping up delicious meals, Rivera confidently navigates the twists and turns of raising a beautiful family. Amidst the glitz and glamour, her heart remains rooted in family values, particularly the reliable connections that she makes.
Finally asked what makes her a tough mama, River said, “I will do everything for my family, so I won’t make excuses like being busy, tired, or lacking time. As long as I can provide what is needed for my family, I will do it. Even if it means working without sleep, it’s okay.”