How are Shayne Sava and Althea Ablan off cam?
“StarStruck” season seven Ultimate Female Survivor Shayne Sava is set to headline another afternoon teleserye, “AraBella.” She stars alongside Althea Ablan, who headlined the defunct top-rating series, “Prima Donnas.”
In the series, Sava and Ablan play sisters who compete against each other for the attention and love of their mom, played by Camille Prats. Ara (Sava) gets adopted by Roselle (Prats) after she losses her daughter, Bella (Ablan). On the night of Ara’s adoption party, Bella returns and starts wreaking havoc on Ara’s life.
The new show will premiere on Monday, March 6, replacing “Unica Hija.”
Sava shares her excitement about the show with FreebieMNL and select media during the opening of Artista Salon in Sosyal Place, Batangas on February 14.
She says, “Actually, noong nalaman po namin na ipapalabas na kami, mas naging happy po ako kasi super excited po ako ipakita sa lahat kung ano yung pinaghirapan namin. At saka maganda po kasi yung kwento ng ‘AraBella’ and everyone po in the cast, sobrang nagpagod po sila doon. And siyempre po, lahat po ng bumubuo ng ‘AraBella.’ Simula po sa prod, sa mga staff, sa mga directors, sobra sobra po kaming nagpagod lahat. So, noong nalaman ko po na ipapalabas yung ‘AraBella’ on March 6, super excited po ako.”
Catfight scenes with Althea Ablan
Of course, afternoon teleseryes featuring rivaling leads wouldn’t be complete without catfight scenes.
Sava says that viewers should expect a lot of these on their new show, not only from her and Althea, but also from one of the show’s villains, Gwen, played by Klea Pineda.
She shares, “Actually, lagi pong kawawa si Ara, as in nabubugbog na siya ni Gwen, nabubugbog pa sya ni Bella. So, double [whammy] po talaga siya! Pero ayun po, wala naman pong problema about it kasi siyempre, trabaho po yun.”
The actors make sure that they check on each other and apologize during fight scenes, Sava clarifies. “After po ng mga takes namin, nagtatawanan kami at saka nagso-sorry sa isa’t isa. Kasi marami po talagang awayan dito so sobrang intense po talaga ng ‘AraBella.’”
How is she and Ablan off screen? Sava answers, “We’re besties po, lagi po kami magka-chikahan tapos kunyari, may mabibigat pong scenes or sakitan, mag-uusap po muna kami. ‘Girl, sorry agad, ha. Sorry kung masasaktan kita.’ ‘Tapos kunyari, mag-cut, magtatanungan kami sa isa’t isa. ‘Masakit ba? Sorry, sorry talaga.’ Nagtutulungan po kami, naghuhugutan kami sa isa’t isa kapag may crying scenes kami together. Sobrang saya po na makasama si Althea sa show.”
“AraBella” headlines drama princess: noon at ngayon
In the build-up teasers for “AraBella,” Sava, Ablan, and Prats are all introduced as the network’s drama princesses then and now.
The plug says about the show: “Ang pinakaabangang pagsasama ng mga prinsesa ng drama, noon at ngayon.”
Prats fittingly owned the title having played the lead role in Star Cinema’s “Sarah Ang Munting Prinsesa” during her child star days. It is the Filipino adaptation of the hit cartoon series “Princess Sarah.” When she grew up as a teen actress, she headlined the afternoon drama series “Marinella.”
Sava, on the other hand, was first introduced as GMA Network’s new drama princess when she headlined the 2022 afternoon series “Raising Mamay,” with Ai-Ai Delas Alas.
Sava admits that until now, she can’t believe her ears when she is being introduced as a drama princess.
She exclaims, “Oh my God, alam niyo po ba kung ilan beses ko yun pinaulit-ulit ulit? Paulit-ulit ako doon kasi sobrang sarap po pakinggan and sobrang sarap po sa pakiramdam na pinagkakatiwalaan po ako ng management and of course, ng mga tao sa paligid ko. At the same time, na-a-appreciate po nila and nakikita po nila lahat ng efforts ko and pagod ko. Doon pa lang, sobrang panalo na ako.”
Sava says she and Ablan enjoy working with Prats, as well as their other co-stars Klea Pineda and Faye Lorenzo.
“Grabe po, sobrang saya po kasi si Ate Cams, para na po namin siyang naging ate ate talaga. Lagi po kaming nagchi-chikahan before and after takes, tapos nagru-roadtrip po kami. Kunyari wala po kaming take or hindi pa po nagte-take, nagco-coffee po kami together kasama sila Kley-kley, sila Althea, sila Faye-faye. So, ayun po, kami kami laging magkakasama tapos chikahan to the max po talaga, binibigyan po kami ng mga advice sa buhay. Sobrang saya lang po talaga and of course, lagi po kaming kumakain!”
“AraBella” also stars Abdul Raman, Saviour Ramos, Alfred Vargas, and Wendell Ramos. The show is under the direction of Adolf Alix, Jr.
Banner Image GMA
Banner Art Paulo Correa
