Kapamilya actress Belle Mariano confessed that she initially felt nervous to work alongside some of the industry’s biggest names—Maricel Soriano, Piolo Pascual, Joshua Garcia, and Juan Karlos Labajo—for Star Cinema’s upcoming family drama ‘Meet, Greet & Bye’, which opens in cinemas on November 12.
“Naku! Totoo po, ‘yung unang reaction ko noong nalaman ko ‘yung project na ito, kinabahan po talaga ako, kasi ang huhusay po nilang lahat,” Belle admitted during the film’s media conference. “More than that, mas nagkaroon po ako ng lakas ng loob na mas galingan pa. Kasi sobrang nakaka-inspire siyempre, ang gagaling ng kasama ko, bakit hindi ko aayusin?”
Among all her co-stars, Belle revealed that she was most intimidated by Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, whom she addressed as “Mama” on set.
“Sabi ko kay Inay (Maricel) noong una kong na-meet, natatakot ako sa kanya talaga,” Belle recalled. “Sabi ko talaga sa kanya, ‘Puwede ko po ba kayong tawaging Mama?’ Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Oo naman.’ Nangyari ‘yun noong look test namin. Ngayon anak niya na talaga ako.”
When asked if she noticed Belle’s nervousness, Maricel had nothing but praise for the young actress.
“Babaguhin ko lang ‘yung kinabahan siya. Wala siyang kaba. Wala!” said Maricel. “Hindi ko nakita ‘yun. Ang nakita ko, ‘yung mga mata niya—ang ganda-ganda ng mata niya. Isa pa, napaka-natural niyang umarte. Totoo ang arte niya. Hindi siya umaarte, totoo lahat ang pinakita niya. Genuine lahat.”
Belle also shared a valuable lesson she learned from her veteran co-star during one of their emotionally heavy scenes.
“Alam n’yo po ba, first scene ko with Mama, para kasing medyo heavy ‘yung scene,” Belle recounted. “Tapos sabi niya sa akin, binigyan niya ako ng tips, ‘Nak, ibuga mo lahat bago mo ibigay ‘yung nararamdaman mo.’ Siguro isa ‘yun sa mga lesson na mababaon ko.”
Maricel, for her part, encouraged Belle to keep honing her craft and continue inspiring fans through her authenticity and talent.
“Anak, mahusay ka alam mo ba ‘yun? Ipaghusay mo pa para mas mahabang panahon pa makita ng mga fans mo na nandito ka sa industriyang ito. Kailangan ka ng industriya,” Maricel told her.
In ‘Meet, Greet & Bye’, directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana, Belle plays Geri Facundo, the youngest and only daughter in a family facing their mother’s battle with cancer. The film also stars Piolo Pascual, Joshua Garcia, Juan Karlos Labajo, and Maricel Soriano as the matriarch of the Facundo family.
The heartwarming drama will premiere in cinemas worldwide on November 12.
