MAYWARD in trending love story of Max and Gab on ‘MMK’
Actors Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber are cast in an episode of drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” where they portray Maxine Blanco and Gab Sta. Ana whose love story went viral few months ago.
News magazine show “Rated K” even featured the inspiring relationship of the two, wherein Gab recalled the struggles that he and Max encountered as a young couple, particularly when her girlfriend was diagnosed with osteosarcoma or bone cancer.
In the “MMK” episode, Gab described his girlfriend of six years as his “one great love.”
Maymay watched that “Rated K” episode and she said that while the story broke her heart, it inspired her to “live life to the Max,” which is the hashtag of the deceased lawyer student.
Maymay likes the fact that it’s not the typical cancer story, because Max was a “fighter” and remained “positive” despite what had happened. Max’s personality, the actress said, matches her personality.
Asked how they prepared for the roles, it included talking to the relatives of the deceased.
“Mas hinangaan ko siya. Nakausap namin sila, sobrang solid nila. Ang sarap nilang kasama, ang saya nila kasama pero makikita mo may lungkot pa din sa mata nila,” she said. “Pero kasi ganu’n naman po talaga ’pag nawawalan tayo ng mahal sa buhay.”
“Pero like Max, positive pa rin sila, as in inspirational,” Edward added. “I mean a lot of us take our family for granted. Kaya kapag nakikita mo ’yung isang family na really sharing and savoring every moment that they have with each other - inspirational talaga ’yun.”
How did they fare in the heartbreaking scenes, we asked. Well, Maymay said they simply put themselves in the couple’s shoes.
“Kasi ganu’n naman po talaga, ’pag nag-portray kami du’n kami humuhugot sa character, and dito story pa lang nakakaiyak na po talaga,” she related.
For Edward, he underwent workshop with Gab.
“Kasi first time ko mag- ‘MMK.’ It’s different when you’re portraying a character that’s alive and real. When you meet and you shake their hand and you talk to them, you hear their voice, see how they move, iba,” he explained.
“You have to imagine what this guy went through, as well as, the family involved. It’s different, it’s real.”
Edward continued it’s an honor for them to portray inspiring characters.
“Hopefully, this is for them, this is for her, this is for her family. Our only wish is that we can play the character as they really were.”
Bulletin Entertainment interviewed the two at the press conference for “Star Hunt: The Global Showdown,” which they host. The global singing search is on Kumu app. Eliminations and major contest events will stream live every Wednesday evening on the Star Hunt channel on Kumu until the grand finals in December.
There will also be live shows for the rest of the week, with former “Pinoy Big Brother Otso” housemate Kiara Takahashi providing updates and online guestings of the contestants.
Kicking off the global singing search is its introduction of the top 25 Global Star Dreamers from the Philippines, USA,
United Kingdom,
Japan, Germany, Australia, and Italy who joined the month-long call for entries from September to October this year.
They were selected by Star Hunters or the panel of judges composed of “Pinoy Big Brother” and “Star Hunt” creative manager Marcus Vinuya, ABS-CBN Global head of music and talent Roslynn Cobarrubias, and award-winning composer and ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo.