52-year-old dramatic actress Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan notably took a decade-long pause from showbiz.
The Iron Heart star Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, is elated to be back in ABS-CBN, a decade after doing her last full-length TV series with the Network, the 2010 family fantasy-drama, Kokey at Ako.
“It’s always great to be here. I love the camaraderie,” she told us during the two-day set visit to the show’s production locations in Cebu on February 6 and 7.
The actress is the mother of Donny Pangilinan, one of ABS-CBN’s fastest-rising male stars.
Acknowledging that ABS-CBN allows her to work alongside whom her son often worked with, Laxa-Pangilinan feels nothing but lucky.
“Siguro lang, at this time, ang maganda lang, nakakasama ko ‘yung mga taong nakakasama ni Donny, at malapit sa puso niya. So, it’s nice kasi, new generation and I’m very lucky to be here.”
She recognizes The Iron Heart as one of the biggest shows of today, saying, ““It’s just an honor to be part of this big, big project.”
“Sabi ko nga kay Richard, ‘this is your moment. Do what you do, and all the good things will just follow. I’m so proud of you,” she added and expressed too much awe for the series’ lead star, Richard Gutierrez.
Unlike most actresses at her age, Laxa-Pangilinan notes the ease she finds in doing action, which she seldom gets in drama.
The daughter of the movie icon Tony Ferrer a.k.a Agent X44, the actress has been somewhat exposed to the basics of action. Furthermore, she’s very much identified with sports, given her being a seasoned triathlete and marathoner.
“Mas madali siya, kasi gagawin mo lang naman ‘yung choreography nga. It’s, for me, like a work out. Mas mahirap ‘yung drama kasi buong emotion mo ibibigay mo.,” she shared.
“I find it so much less stressful than drama, kasi ‘yung drama…it’s really draining you physically, mentally, emotionally. Pero kapag action, physical lang, work out ganon. Siguro if you’re not fit, it will drain you. But for me, being someone who’s really been to a lot of sports, hindi siya mahirap. And remember nasa dugo ko ‘yun, anak ako ni X44,” she added.
Before returning to ABS-CBN, Laxa-Pangilinan made waves early last year when she appeared in a top-rating daytime series on GMA Network. She returned to acting via the 2019 mega-blockbuster Hello Love, Goodbye, which became the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.
The Iron Heart airs from Monday to Friday, 8:45 PM, on A2Z, TV5, Kapamilya Channel, Jeepney TV, Kapamilya Online Live, and IWantTFC, right after FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.
