'Na-stress ako': Cassy Legaspi admits pressure to follow Carmina Villaroel, Zoren Legaspi as actors

MANILA, Philippines — Cassy Legaspi is among the growing list of showbiz offsprings who followed in the footsteps of her parents. Born to actors Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi, Cassy and her twin Mavy basically grew up before the cameras, thanks to the endorsements and commercials they did while growing up. As such, one would think she would easily get her way with things.

For her first series, however, she is immediately met with a challenge. She plays Nina, the rebellious daughter of President Glenn Acosta (Gabby Concepcion) in the romantic comedy, family drama "First Yaya" that premiered last March 15 on GMA.

Cassy is first to say she's nowhere near Nina.

"'Yun po 'yung problema ko," Cassy answered when asked if her role in the show is bad. "That's why direk LA (Madridejos) was really, really helping me throughout the show kasi I'm nothing like Nina as in super love na love ko 'yung yaya ko."

Cassy shared that she has the same yaya named Cora when she was three years old until now that she's 20.

"'Yung mga yayas namin sa bahay, they've grown to be our second mom and I really trust them. Every day, kahit dati pa, after school, I always make kwento and they actually know 'yung buong life story ko. They take care of Mavy, my family and I. All I can say is, especially my family, we really value our helper sa bahay kasi, I wouldn't like to call them as workers. They're more like family. We really love them," Cassy related.

This is the reason why she initially found it hard to portray a role that is opposite of who she is reared to be.

"What I'm doing as Nina to Yaya Melody, oh my gosh, 'di ko po kaya. Ganoon po talaga ugali ni Nina at the first part but eventually maybe things might get patched up," she shared.

She is one of the wards of Yaya Melody, played by Sanya Lopez, the show's titular female lead.

Cassy is seen regularly on the Sunday musical variety show "All Out Sundays." She might have starred in a handful of TV commercials as a kid and been singing and dancing for the Sunday show but she admitted that taping a show is a lot more different, and like other newbies, she got the jitters.  

"I guess people would expect na sanay na ako sa showbiz because literally my entire life, I am in showbiz. But 'yun nga po, this is my first teleserye ever and, I guess noong first day, I was so, so nervous because it's super different from what I usually do which are commercials or singing and dancing. But noong first day, I became super comfortable right away. Thanks again to Direk LA. He helped me calm down kasi sobrang high blood ako, na-stress ako kasi I was scared kasi both of my parents are actors. So the expectation is very high for me," she shared.

It was just the first day, though, as she is happy with the cast and production of her very first series. In fact, she is happy to say that even her mother, Carmina, who recently shared in an interview that she found it hard to let her only daughter go to the lock-in taping, saw how happy she is on set.

"My parents know that I really, really want to pursue acting. I know that they're happy naman for me. It's just that I have to be locked-in. Alam nila na safe ako at happy ako because they can see it especially sa Instagram and TikTok naming (cast) lahat," she shared.

Cassy added that she shares her lock-in taping stories, about how fun it was for her, whenever she goes home.

"Ever since the first lock-in, I'm more happier now for some reason. I guess my mom saw that I am happy and that I like what I'm doing. But my mom still cries. She just cried when I left for this lock-in. So she needs to get used to it."