Sam Milby feels unworthy working with Maricel, Iza & Jodi
Sam Milby went into his latest project feeling undeserving of his role and fretful about swapping lines with Maricel Soriano, but his unease was quickly quelled when the Diamond Star took the actor under her wing.
“I have to admit, nakaka-pressure. I feel very unworthy because lahat sila sobrang galing,” Sam told entertainment journalists in a digital press conference Friday for “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin,” ABS-CBN’s first drama series to be fully launched digitally on Kapamilya Online Live.
“Ms. Maricel just celebrated her 49th year in the business…all the experience and awards she has, I was very nervous. First few tapings, sobrang supportive siya. Grabe, sobrang bait niya sa akin. I love her! The support and advice she’s given me, nakakadagdag ng bilib sa sarili.”
The Taray Queen now fondly refers to Sam as her “baby boy,” as she heaped him with praise for holding his own opposite co-stars Iza Calzado and Jodi Sta. Maria.
“She’s like the nanay on set. She’s so kind, supportive and helpful. Yung pagtuturo niya sa akin sa mga eksena, I just really appreciate it,” said Sam.
While he previously starred in the indie film “Third World Happy” with Jodi, it’s his first time working with Maricel, as well as with Iza, the latter of which he easily connected with, making things “so much easier.”
Sam said he has a tendency to be childish on set and sometimes struggles with Tagalog lines, so the patience and generosity of his co-stars have not gone unnoticed.
In “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin,” Sam is Gabriel, the man that two best friends turned bitter rivals will wrangle over. Ellice (Iza) is from an influential family, while Marissa (Jodi) is a simple lass living with her mother Lucing (Maricel). The two are thick as thieves until a crime changes their destinies: Ellice accidentally kills the son (Albie Casiño) of a powerful congressman who attempts to rape her, and Marissa takes the blame as Ellice’s father (Lito Pimentel) offered her P10 million and a promise that she is not to spend a day in jail. But the promise is not granted and Marissa is forced to suffer behind bars for years.
Unaware of her best friend’s fate, Ellice lives in the US and meets Gabriel, whom she later on marries. As Ellice returns to the Philippines to start anew, she meets Marissa, but the best friend she used to know is long gone as Marissa vows to take everything she has -- money, possessions, and even her husband – and make her suffer like she did.
Directed by F.M. Reyes and Avel Sunpongco, and produced by JRB Creative Production, “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin” will premiere August 17, 8:40 pm, after “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” on Kapamilya Channel and Kapamilya Online Live.
Sam admitted he initially worried about resuming taping last June when the Enhanced Community Quarantine was lifted in Metro Manila.
“Nandoon yung takot but I really appreciate everyone that did the necessary precautions,” said Sam, who was locked in for three weeks in a Quezon City hotel with cast and crew. “We did the testing beforehand. Sa set nandoon lagi yung medic, dapat laging naka-face mask before we do takes.”
When talk came to his girlfriend Catriona Gray, Sam said he believes the Miss Universe 2018 winner is “the one” for him, although he acknowledges that while he’s of marrying age at 36, the same could not be said of the 26-year-old beauty queen who is still starting a career in show business.