A new showbiz romance even lolas approve of

In QTV 11’s latest family sitcom, Ganda Ng Lola Ko!, Camille Prats and Marco Alcaraz take a breather from their dramatic chores and pit their comic skills against three of the country’s most respected actresses – Bella Flores, Gloria Sevilla and Baby O’ Brien.

It’s a household that echoes with laughter as the three lolas, with their contrasting personalities, make up a wild, wacky bunch with their rambunctious antics and hilarious day-to-day escapades. Gloria Sevilla plays Lola Inday, the old-fashioned, religious and strict mother hen figure to her granddaughter. Bella Flores plays Lola Daisy, the former showbiz extra who doesn’t seem to have outgrown her delusions of stardom. Baby O’Brien plays Lola Bridget, the liberal-minded house owner who likes to be treated as one of the guys.

"In the sitcom, I play Dedeth’s (Camille) neighbor and ardent suitor," Marco explains. "I’m a balikbayan but I can speak Tagalog fluently here."

Camille, along with on-screen brother Kirby de Jesus, plays the object of affection of their three lolas. "It’s a pleasant change of pace," Camille says. "It’s a very light and bubbly comedy with a very situational approach. I can say outright it’s not like the other comedy scripts that just rely on slapstick and which have these very vague and free-for-all endings."

While most newcomers might dread the thought of having to pit their skills against a trio of showbiz veterans, Marco was pleasantly surprised by the group’s lighthearted rapport off-cam. "They’re very cool and very friendly on the set. They’d regale us with their priceless pointers and stories from years back."

Camille feels extra close to her Tita Baby O’Brien "because of her kakikayan." With her Tita Bella, it’s "girl talk" all the way as they swap makeup trends and styles.

It’s the couple’s first time to work with veteran director Al Quinn. "He’s very cool, but he’s very strict about punctuality," Marco relates. Camille agrees, and says, "With how he works with Tita Bibeth, there’s no ‘hanging’ dialogue – unlike other sitcoms, so it’s not as chaotic."

Unlike other sitcoms plagued with weak storylines, meandering dialogues and tasteless slapstick humor, Ganda Ng Lola Ko! prides itself with its sensible plots and inclusion of relevant Filipino values.

Having worked with Camille in previous projects, Marco finds it a breeze swapping comic one-liners with her. "Being newer in the business, I still look up to her and ask her for pointers, which she readily dishes out," Marco shares. "In this genre, timing is very important. That’s why I’m still trying to work hard at it."

In spite of its recent launch, the sitcom has garnered very good ratings – a portent of good things to come for the newly-launched QTV, sister network of GMA 7.

Of the network’s varied entertainment fare, Marco comments, "It’s a good mix of shows, a healthy balance between lifestyle features and more relevant showbiz tidbits."

When not practicing his witty quips, Marco is busy with current projects, including a movie with Piolo Pascual and Judy Ann Santos for Star Cinema, slated for release early next year. He also appears in ABS-CBN’s Kampanerang Kuba and recently – completed Mga Batang Bangketa and Shake, Rattle and Roll, one of the entries to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. Camille, on the other hand, is busy with her teleserye, Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako.

Ganda Ng Lola Ko! airs every Friday at 9 p.m. on QTV 11. It is directed by Al Quinn, with Bibeth Orteza as headwriter.