Max Collins strives to work hard for son Skye

Max Collins has spent a decade of her 14-year showbiz career with GMA and found her foothold in acting. She commences her next decade with the soon-to-premiere To Have And To Hold.

Since the romantic drama is about relationships, one found it fit for the actress to give her side of the story concerning the separate birthday celebrations of her and Pancho Magno’s son, Skye. It should shed light on their marital status.

“The story behind it is, my friends had a separate party, a surprise party for Skye,” said Max in a virtual media conference for her contract renewal. “They set it up. Nagkataon lang na may taping talaga si Pancho that day. Hindi siya available. The day naman of Skye’s real birthday, which is July 6, I had an endorsement shoot. Wala talaga ako nuon. That’s why we had different pictures, yun lang talaga. That’s the story.”

Having a busy schedule is common among stars. Given the pandemic, actors like Max have to grab every work that will come their way and save for the future.

“I feel like outwardly sa ibang tao, it would limit me,” said Max about the roles that a young working mother like her can portray. “But for myself, I don’t want to be limited just because I’m a mom. I feel like I have to push harder, I have to do better and I have to prove myself because ang dami kong competition.”

Aside from that, Max wanted her son to see the dedication she put in her craft and to be proud of her. “You want your child to be proud of you, yun yung nararamdaman ko,” said she. “When he grows up, I will be a good example for him (by showing him to) do what you really love and give it a 110 percent always.”

To Have And To Hold is Max’s first acting assignment after giving birth. Although she has done a lot of TV and movie work, Max was not spared from having the back-to-work jitters.

“I was so nervous about the new show,” recalled she, “kaya nag-workshop ako nang todo. Ang kagandahan din kasi ng lock-in (taping) is we have time to prepare. I really prepared for this role and more than I prepared for any other role. I appreciated it more kasi ang tagal kong di nakapag-tape.” This shows how Max truly missed acting by sharing that “iba na yung appreciation ko for the show, for work in general, kasi you don’t know when you’ll have that opportunity again, di ba? Ever since the pandemic happened, things have really changed. I’m so grateful for the show that I have now and I’ve been giving it my best talaga.”

The actress plays the character Dominique, whom she describes as someone, “(na) may mga bagay na ginagawa (siya) na iisipin mong mali pero (ang) challenge for me is how to show you all na kung bakit niya ginawa.” Max had to humanize the character to get the sympathy of viewers. That’s why tapping into the psyche of Dominique has been challenging for Max, who had “to go there, go deep to understand her.”

Co-actors Rocco Nacino and Carla Abellana must have done the same way in approaching their Gavin and Erica, respectively. According to Max, the dramatis personae in To Have And To Hold are victims of the circumstances.

“There is really no  kontrabida,” said she. “We’re all at fault, we’re all flawed characters. But you’ll also see the good sides of us (the characters that we play). Kaya ang ganda talaga ng script kasi I feel like it’s a raw script, na kumbaga nobody’s perceived as perfect talaga. Everyone has their (own) issues. It’s something that people really need to see, the things that people go through when it comes to married couples. I feel like this is the best opportunity I have been given to play a mature role. There are a lot of layers in a flawed character.” By the way, hers and Rocco’s are daring, which is something viewers should look forward to. “Kasi kailangan talaga because of the concept, the theme of the story is sexy. But it’s, of course, backed up by great writing and a great story,” she said.

Max completed the first leg of the lock-in taping and soon begins another one. The latter means one thing: She will miss her mommy duties to Skye.

“Lagi kong iniisip na I’m doing this also for him, for his future,” said she. “Ginagamit ko lang yung pain sa taping, nagagamit ko siya sa mga scenes. It’s just really difficult being away from him. I think of it now na medyo OK pa now because wala pa siya sa point where he says, ‘Mama, mama, no, don’t go.’ That’s kinda how I justify being (gone) for so long. I’m going back to lock-in (taping) before the end of the month… Sa Facetime parang hindi niya ako nakilala… Sabi ko while I was away babawi na lang ako sa kanya ‘pag uwi ko. I have been doing that, we’re always together, we’re inseparable since I got back.”

As for the theme that viewers can reflect on in To Have And To Hold, Max said that it shows them “how to forgive, how to love again and I feel like love is always going to be there in any relationship, di ba?” What matters, she added, is how people forgive each other and that they can.

As a Kapuso talent, Max has grown leaps and bounds and owes it to her network.

“I’m so happy because honestly, kung hindi dahil sa GMA, wala ako dito sa posisyon ko now. I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. “Knowing that a decade has passed by, and I’m starting a new decade, as a mother, as a wife, as an actress, I just feel so privileged because not everyone gets the opportunities that I get. I’ve just been so blessed throughout my career because of GMA.”