The secret of Celia’s staying power

Ganda ng Lola Ko, a laugh-‘til-you drop primetime series on QTV 11 with not only one but three golden ladies (and soon four), graces the boob-tube weekly with its characters’ zany and downright funny antics.

Gloria Sevilla, Bella Flores and Baby O’Brien are three funny grannies in the family sitcom.

Gloria is Lola Inday, the maternal Lola who is old-fashioned and religious, with an IQ below sea level. But she’s strict when it comes to her granddaughter’s love life. Bella is Lola Daisy. She’s a former showbiz extra who thinks she’s the prettiest among the bunch. She even thinks the neighborhood hunk has a crush on her. Baby is Lola Bridget, the owner of the house who has a modern outlook in life.

Thinking she’s "in", she likes to be treated as one of the boys and is the most kunsintidora among the three.

Joining the three grandmas starting episode 36 is Celia Rodriguez, who plays Laura, the snobbish new spa owner who eventually becomes close friends with the three grannies.

"The series is patterned after the very successful American venture Golden Girls. It was everybody’s favorite including former White House First Lady Mrs. Ford. My addition to the original cast will make the story much more textured and layered; making the spins more and more exciting," declares Celia during a lull on the taping of her episode.

And speaking of the White House, Celia is the first and probably the only Filipina to have walked down its manicured lawns that served as runway for the Karilagan show of Imelda Marcos.

"I was a member of the Blue Ladies then and I modeled the creations of fashion designer Eddie Ocampo. I was his mannequin; much like what image models are doing to the creations of designers today," Celia reveals.

Winner of the 1972 trophy as Best Actress for her poignant portrayal in the drama Lilet, Celia is one of the very few actresses to be directed by National Artist for Film Gerry de Leon.

"This is my most memorable role to date. I recalled doing 18 takes for a single scene! It was a breakdown scene but Manong Gerry wanted me to cry with tears just welled up in my eyes and not let them fall. I was so challenged by this daunting task but at the same time wanting to give up. He constantly encouraged me that I could do it. And I did!"

"In this business, discipline is paramount; dedication is next. Even if you’re really talented, but without the aforementioned requisites, you won’t really last long in this business. And that’s such a waste. I can name a lot but I won’t," Celia teased.

Joining the "golden girls" are Camille Prats, Paolo Contis, Rochelle Pangilinan, Katrina Halili, Marco Alcaraz, Tess Bomb and Gene Padilla as the grannies’ tsimoy. The oldies always seem to get themselves into compromising situations, and more often than not, they rely on their grandkids to bail them out of trouble.

But because they love their grandmas very much, despite the conflicts and quirks, the siblings always end up saying... Ganda ng Lola Ko!

"The show aired its pilot episode November last year. It was part of the happy hour block of the weeknight shows. The series has gone through cast changes yet it has endured. The plot of the episodes always center on the goings-on inside the lolas’ house or in the immediate vicinity. Writer Bibeth Orteza writes the script alternately with RJ Nuevas. Our rival in the timeslot are basketball and the big-budgeted series aired over the giant networks," says Chyndy Liberia, executive producer of the show.

Episode 36, entitled Ang Pagdating ng Braguda, airs tonight.

Ganda ng Lola Ko! is directed by Al Quinn on Fridays, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

"This is my 40th year in showbusiness, starting at the tender age of 17 back when Philippine cinema was at its most vibrant. Now, the movie industry is almost dead. Actors in my heyday were really talented. Today’s crop is less gifted and there’s a plethora of them out there. Before, producers considered televiewers’ feedback. Now, it’s more of profitability. Hard times dictate that they recoup their investment. I made more insignificant projects in the past than significant ones. The insignificant I used as fulcrum to hone my craft. But I assure you, the show is not one of them," Celia ends with her trademark laugh.