Mariel's manic Monday

Bubbly best describes Mariel Rodriguez on and off cam. She endears herself to Wowowee followers because of her sunshiny personality. This has kept Mariel busy with work — hosting the Kapamilya noontime show six times a week and Entertainment Live every Saturday. Before that, she had two more TV assignments: Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Sundays and its afternoon Uber edition.

“I had a hectic schedule a month ago,” shares Mariel. “I then had PBB. After Wowowee, I waited awhile and did Uber. On top of that, I was also doing Cinco.”

“Everything is scheduled if I want to do something,” she adds. “It’s a small price to pay for the blessings I have been getting. I’m simply grateful.”

Viewers, however, will see terror in Mariel’s face as she stars in Mukha, one of the episodes in Star Cinema’s suspense-horror flick Cinco. It is now showing in theaters.

“You will see and experience different types of terror/fear,” says Mariel. “My episode is about fear of being alone.”

What challenges Mariel is how to create the horror atmosphere by herself as Mukha’s lone character and to never smile a single moment during the shoot.

Right timing and scare tactics should be properly done as Mukha will run for 15 minutes only and moviegoers should see an immediate progress and action in the storytelling. That’s why doing Cinco is both taxing to director Nick Olanka, University of the Philippines Film Institute graduate and writer of Adela, and Mariel.

“Direk also asked me to redo some parts because there were times that myself showed on the screen,” recalls Mariel.

Mukha is about a hardworking employee who never minds staying late in the office. The terror begins when Mariel’s character needs to be taught about not stepping on someone else’s toes and being sensitive to the feelings of others. The story revolves around common places such as the office and elevator. The minimal dialogues add an eerie feel to the episode.

Jodi Santamaria, Zanjoe Marudo, Pokwang, Bangs Garcia, AJ Perez, Robi Domingo and Sam Concepcion topbill the four other episodes.

Meanwhile, let’s take a quick look at Mariel’s “manic Monday” schedule.

Every day at 8:30 a.m. — I wake up and get ready myself for Wowowee.

Between 10 and 10:30 a.m. — I’m at the studio doing my makeup. I have my brunch there because I live alone in my condominium. Sometimes I eat before or after the show or in-between segments when I’m not doing my spiel or portion.

I spend my day differently by attending a presscon before I can finally sign off from work. But I’m grateful. I love my job and I can’t think of doing something else.

Saturdays — I literally run to another studio for Entertainment Live after Wowowee. When PBB was on air, I waited awhile and stayed for the show.

Sundays — It’s Mariel’s day. I can just stay home. I can just watch a movie. I also visit my grandparents. Honestly, I just want to stay home and not to wake up on certain time. I want to be up whenever I want to be. I don’t go out or party. — Jerry Donato