'Annaliza' hits new all-time high rating
MANILA -- An emotional Kaye Abad, at one point, almost gave up her role in the primetime series "Annaliza."
After filming a scene, the 31-year-old actress broke down in tears, saying she could no longer bear hurting child star Andrea Brillantes, who portrays the title role.
This was Abad's candid sharing during an interview on the late-night newscast "Bandila" on Thursday, where she related the difficulties of taking on an antagonist role.
Referring to her 10-year-old co-star, Abad said, "May isang eksena kami na sobrang sinaktan ko siya. After, tumalikod ako, nag-break down talaga ako. Umiyak ako, sabi ko talaga, 'Ayoko na, ayoko na.'"
As Stella in "Annaliza," Abad is seen as the "kontrabida" bent on depriving her step-daughter, Annaliza (Brillantes), of the love of her real parents.
Driven by revenge on Lazaro (Patrick Garcia), the man who denied fathering her child, Abad as Stella pours her long-kept rage on his wife, Isabel (Denise Laurel), and Annaliza, his long-lost daughter.
Often, the conflict turns physical, with Stella hurting Annaliza without reservations.
"Ang hirap talaga. Kasi 'yung character ko palagi doon sa bata nananakit, eh. Kung ka-edad ko, medyo okay pa kasi malakas na 'yun, eh. 'Yung bata, inosente talaga. Medyo hindi pa siya sanay mandaya," Abad said.
Brillantes, according to Abad, has nonetheless requested that their physical confrontations be as "real" as possible, "para 'yung reaction niya para totoo rin."
Even then, Abad is cautious not to be too forceful in hurting Brillantes. The actress related that she "practices" slapping or pulling her co-star's hair.
"Sinasabihan ko lang din 'yung ka-eksena na isunod mo 'yung ulo mo [pag sinasampal o sinasabunutan ko siya], kasi anything na kinokontra mo, masakit eh," she said.
Strong viewership
Aside from playing Annaliza's nemesis in the series, Abad as her character is caught in a web of relationships involving Lazaro, Guido (Zanjoe Marudo), and her long-time friend and accomplice, Makoy (Carlo Aquino).
In the latest episodes of "Annaliza," Makoy is seen bent on winning back the affections of Stella, as Guido finally prepares to reunite with his adopted daughter, Annaliza, after being released from prison.
The series recently hit its all-time highest nationwide rating of 22.1% last Monday, July 22, since its premiere telecast in May.
According data from multi-national market research group Kantar Media, this national TV rating is almost 10 percentage points higher than the garnered viewership of the program's new rival show aired on GMA-7 on the same day.
Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes, representing 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population.
Directed by Theodore Boborol and Cathy Camarillo, "Annaliza" airs weeknights before "TV Patrol" during ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida block.
