‘Titas’ take the lead
Bold and fearless as they appear to be, the ladies hope the show will inspire women to fully embrace life while being the best they can be
There’s a misconception that when you become a tita, you can’t do certain stuff. At this age you can always start new things like play guitar or paint. Be adventurous and explore life more.
I suppose a lot of people our age don’t transition well. They are having a hard time embracing fully the idea of being a tita.
Gone are the days when love teams and young actors dominated Philippine television. Now, the spotlight is on middle-aged women (titas) with the premiere of iWant TV’s original comedy series, Call Me Tita.
Directed by Andoy Ranay, the story revolves around five lifelong friends who, while getting older, struggle to find their real purpose in life. Cast is spearheaded by respectable actresses Cherry Pie Picache, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon, Joanna Ampil, Angelica Panganiban and Lorna Tolentino.
“More importantly, I guess the reason why they said yes to this project is because it is not usual for a TV series with ‘ ’ as leads. Usually it’s the younger actors. But this time, kami naman because they have wonderful stories to tell and share also,” Ranay said.
Bold and fearless as they appear to be, the ladies hope the show will inspire women to fully embrace life while being the best they can be.
“There’s a misconception that when you become a tita, you can’t do certain stuff. At this age you can always start new things like play guitar or paint. Be adventurous and explore life more. Even if you’re in your 40s, your life is just beginning. You always have the chance to do whatever you want to do. Start exploring things. You have to live life to the fullest,” Cherry Pie said.
Being a tita is not that hard, according to theater actress Joanna Ampil. She said, “I suppose a lot of people our age don’t transition well. They are having a hard time embracing fully the idea of being a tita. That’s what they think. You know, I’ve been a tita since I was 10 years old. I’m a lola na
nga also (In fact, I am also already a grandmother). People think being a tita is hard, but it’s not at all.”
The show’s tita-in-training, Angelica Panganiban, defined the honorific term as matured women with a big sense of responsibility.
She said, “There’s a misconception that when you’re a tita, you’re boring. But you’re not. Your view of life has just become different. I don’t think
the word boring can be associated with being a tita, because a tita entails that you are mature enough to know certain things.
Because a tita has this responsibility to fill.
You’re like a second mom. You take care of your life more. You sleep early for work and you wake up early for work.”
Their turn
Director Ranay pointed out that each of the cast members had to prepare for their challenging roles, especially Cherry Pie.
“I wouldn’t worry as much if we’re like other countries, because our audience sometimes don’t differentiate actors from their personal life. It was difficult for me,” Cherry Pie said. “You have to own it and embrace it because it wouldn’t be fine to watch a show that is half-baked. To prepare, I watched a series played by Nicole Kidman. It’s what you do to get inspired with your craft as an actor. We often ask ‘why can they do that?’ Now it’s our turn, it’s our chance. This is an opportunity for us to do it.”
Cherry Pie plays Ruth, a successful bakery owner who fantasizes about her sexy chef colleague. Mylene Dizon is Frida, a demure tita who just ended her 15-year relationship with her American husband. She later on finds solace in the company of a lesbian artist played by Ice Seguerra. A retired beauty queen and failed starlet, Agot Isidro is Celine, the
tita who has a gay son and a million followers on social media, yet is still unable to get the approval of her partner’s family.
Joanna Ampil plays Maya, a human rights lawyer who has been nothing but a perfect provider of her family. She wants to start a family of her own, but how, if she is deeply in love with her friend’s husband? Meanwhile, Angelica Panganiban plays Gabbi, the youngest of the five. She is helped by the titas in finding her absentee mother, Josa (Lorna Tolentino), a drug addict.
“Call Me Tita is really to celebrate the body. This is it, the status of people of our age bracket. Embrace it and, more than anything else, love yourself no matter what shape are you in,” Ranay concluded. Call Me Tita is written by Patricia Valenzuela-Kent and Noreen Ca pi li. It is co-produced by Dreams cape Digital and Heaven’s Best Entertainment. Watch every Sundays at 9 p.m. starting today or on iWant app (iOS and Android) or on iwant.ph.