Pinky Amador is the girl viewers love to hate on afternoon TV

There’s a new villainess on afternoon TV who has effectively changed the emotions of viewers. All are now against Moira Tanyag on GMA 7’s Abot Kamay na Pangarap.

“We never expected that Abot Kamay na Pangarap would be such a hit that it is now,” admitted veteran actress Pinky Amador, who plays Moira Tanyag in the show. “When you premiere a series, you normally expect it to be on TV for 14 weeks, 16 weeks, 18 weeks only.

“Because the ratings were so encouraging, we were all surprised. We were asking, ‘What happened? Why is it like that?’ So, our characters, while the series gets extended repeatedly, also evolve and change.”

The afternoon medical drama, now on its 10th month, is the first of its kind on local TV. “We are so humbled,” said Pinky. “The series was conceptualized in September last year, so we are turning one year already. So far, we’re extended till then.”

Their personal lives are apparently on stand-by as they await the positive outcome of the daily episodes of Abot Kamay na Pangarap.

Surprisingly, Pinky’s Moira Tanyag, is the most popular villain on afternoon TV now. She is the woman the audience loves to hate.

“I think it’s a reflection that we did our jobs well,” Pinky asserted. “Not just me but the creative team. It’s a testament also to our directors and our creative group. They really have a deep knowledge and understanding of the storytelling.

“What makes the story gripping? What makes people watch? Obviously, the audience loves it that Moira gets often aggrieved. I think it’s part of the job.”

Pinky herself does not imagine that her villain character will be embraced by local viewers. “I only found out six months into the show that Zoey Tanyag (Kazel Kinouchi) is not actually my daughter with (Doctor) Robert Tanyag (Richard Yap),” Pinky revealed.

“All the while, I was playing Moira as the wronged wife. She is the bida-kontrabida. I had to shift a lot of things. Her character is getting to be a real offender.”

Created by Angeli Delgado, Abot Kamay na Pangarap has a star-studded cast that includes Carmina Villarroel, Jillian Ward, Dina Bonnevie, Dominic Ochoa, Chuckie Dreyfus and Dexter Doria. L.A. Madridejos and Paul Sta. Ana direct.

Pinky Amador plays Moira Tanyag, the ‘most popular villain’ now on afternoon TV. She feels humbled that the GMA medical drama Abot Kamay na Pangarap is already on its 10th month. She says, ‘The series was conceptualized in September last year, so we are turning one year already. So far, we’re extended till then.

Photos courtesy of Pinky Amador and GMA 7

Pinky denied she meddled with the writers of the series on what to do with her character. “Before I asked, I look at the big picture,” Pinky explained. “That Moira is an all-out criminal already. I’m the anti-thesis of the morality of the show.”

Pinky finds it unbelievable how she gets bashed often because of how evil Moira’s character gets. “If you really know the power of storytelling, the actors are placed there so the audience will get convinced by the story,” Pinky explained. “If anything, I think Abot Kamay na Pangarap is a testament to the power of storytelling and the brilliance of the creative team.”

The series’ audiences are women who are of Pinky’s age. “They’re the ones who get really emotional,” she said. “They’re the ones who have time, stay at home and watch the show. A lot of people watch it after work, on YouTube, on Facebook. They all get carried away.”

Throughout her four decades in the entertainment industry, Pinky hopes that she has inspired a lot of people through her craft.

“I hope I was able to teach a lot of people, to help a lot of people,” she said. “I hope I got to inspire a lot of people to continue with their craft, to train in performing arts, self-expression or self-presentation.

“At this point in my career, where I need to be giving back, that’s where you find the satisfaction. That happened when I started teaching. I became head of the drama department of Mint College (from 2011 to 2015).”

Then, Pinky moved to Thames International, where she also took a course and teaches Basic Acting and Performance Arts. “In the pandemic, all our income dropped, if not vanished,” Pinky admitted. “Teaching buoyed me up.

“I was able to form my own start-up. I give workshops to groups, individuals, organizational workshops.”

She is also teaching Theater after completing her Master’s Degree in Theater in the United Kingdom through a scholarship.

In theater, Pinky was last seen onstage in Angels in America, where she got to work with the late Cherie Gil (2019).

“Next year, we are under negotiations for me to start a play in Singapore,” Pinky concluded.