Jean when she rages

For the first time in many years, Jean Saburit is excited. Reason: finally, she has a role she can sink her teeth into. It’s worlds apart from the mother role she played on GMA’s Magpakailanman, but something more challenging.

Jean kissed her oppressed characters goodbye to play a modern-day Bella Flores in Ganti, the featured story on Now and Forever Season 2. (premieres Monday, June 6), The romantic tale casts Jean as Sheryl Cruz’s wicked stepmom, bent on making life miserable for her rich late husband’s (Roy Alvarez) only daughter (Sheryl).

"It’s a first for me," she reveals. "I not only hurt Sheryl’s chracter emotionally, I also harm her physically. I drag her bodily until she gets all bruised up, I slap her. I’m baaad!"

And if the entire country hates her after this, Jean will be tickled pink. "It could only mean one thing," she explains. "I played my role well."

Those endless crying scenes fail to ignite the fire in her the way playing villain does.

"Imagine crying from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.!" she exclaims, referring to a TV guest role. "I don’t want to cry that much anymore."

The lead chracter, she adds, is only as effective as his/her villain. The bad guy’s ability to threaten and scare the daylights out of the lead character determines whether the episode will move the viewer or not. And Jean knows just how critical her role is.

She does not regret turning down an ABS-CBN offer to star in a teleserye, which came after GMA executives told her about Now and Forever.

"GMA came first, and I must be true to my word," explains Jean. Besides, Mac Alejandre impressed her so much in Let The Love Begin. And Jean can’t wait learning a thing or two from the hitmaker of a director.

Direk Mac’s kindness to Jean’s daughter Nicole Anderson, 15, has also touched Jean.

"He gave Nicole a bonus after they did Say That You Love Me," Jean relates, her voice lilting.

So determined is she to do justice to the role Jean lost 10 pounds in only three weeks.

"I will never allow myself to look inferior beside my slim, younger co-stars like Sheryl, Nadine (Samonte) and Beth (Tamayo)! Why, I have to keep up with them!" Jean protests. Gaining weight, she declares, is the surest route to career downfall. She also shares these words of wisdom to only child Nicole.

"Indulge on junk food, gain extra weight," she warns her daughter, "and you’ll lose your career!"

To show that she practises what she preaches, Jean avoids rice and meat like the plague. She sticks to a soup, vegetable and fish diet, even if the dining table laid out before her is groaning with tempting food.

Jean takes out her supply of crackers in her handbag whenever she feels hunger pangs. Carbohydrates are no-nos. In fact, Jean has avoided rice and meat for so long she can’t even remember when was the last time she indulged on them.

"So determined am I to slim down, I just take soup upon waking up," reveals Jean.

Besides taking care of her looks, Jean also reminds Nicole, an 11th grader in a British school, to love her work. That’s the only way she can last long in the business, Jean tells her daughter.

She must know. Jean’s showbiz career started in 1977, after she was proclaimed Miss Young Philippines. She counts Rio Locsin and Dina Bonnevie among her ‘batchmates’ in the business.

Like them, Jean has earned the right to pace herself. No more wearing herself out by shuttling from one taping to another.

"I’m not getting any younger," Jean admits. "So I make it a point to rest after an overnight taping. I don’t accept any project right after that."

Her free time is spent hanging out with Nicole, to whom Jean is more of a friend than an authority figure. The only time Jean puts her foot down is when Nicole goes out of town. During these times, she must have a chaperone, says Jean.

Romance and Nicole’s suitors are the stuff of which their regular conversations are made.

"Nicole shows me her suitors’ text messages," says Jean.

She removes a pair of white Chanel eyeglasses from her head and says proudly, "Nicole gave me this."

And now that Nicole is earning from TV shows like SOP Gigsters, she takes it upon herself to share what she has with her mom.

"I even borrow money from her. But I make it a point to give it back," Jean is not ashamed to admit.

Nicole has entrusted her bankbook to Jean, who makes sure she shows her daughter every single entry in it. Everything is intact, down to the last centavo.

With nary a cloud hanging in the horizon, what more can Jean Saburit ask for?