After 7 years, Claudine Barretto makes TV comeback via out-of-the-box drama

MANILA, Philippines — The latest collaboration between GMA Network and Regal Entertainment titled Lovers/Liars, read as “Lovers and Liars,” is led by veteran actress Claudine Barretto.

The GMA Telebabad drama series, described as “nonconventional” and “triple-plot,” is Claudine’s return to TV series acting after seven years. She will be seen taking on a different character, set in a new storyline.

“Ang dami na pong dumaan na mga scripts atsaka offers sa akin (I’ve read a lot of scripts and received offers),” began Claudine talking about the TV project in a recent press conference. “When Ms. Noreen and my manager explained the plot to me, I thought it was different from the other (plots of the) teleseryes that I had done. Ever since, my forte has really been teleserye.”

So, it’s safe to say that it was a yes for her from the get-go. By the way, Noreen Capili and director Jose Javier Reyes are the series creators.

“Kung ano yung pinagdadaanan ng mga babae na ka-age ko, yun yung gusto kong gawin na mga roles. Ibang-iba siya kasi matapang at maraming sekreto na hindi mo talaga makikita sa regular na teleserye. (Whatever women my age go through in life is something I want to portray in my characters. My character is different from the ones I’ve played before because she’s brave and has many secrets. Her kind is something we don’t get to see in a regular TV series),” added she.

Claudine’s character is named Via Laurente, who heads a real estate company.

“Actually, I got excited,” shared she of her initial reaction upon learning the role. “In one teleserye, I already played a powerful CEO, but she didn’t have an illicit affair, nothing like that.”

As the audiences follow the narrative, they will see that, as the actress said, “Lahat ng tao na kahit gaano katapang merong weakness, whether it be love or whatever in a relationship, lahat ng tao may sekreto, may weakness. (No matter how strong people are, they have a weakness. All have secrets and weaknesses).”

Executives Jose Mari Abacan and Roselle Monteverde, also the brains behind the GMA and Regal weekly anthology series Regal Studio Presents and the Mano Po Legacy, were thrilled to have Claudine on board.

According to Roselle, Regal has been wanting to work with the actress. They have seen her blossom into a young actress and leading lady who eventually tackled mature roles.

“She’s very talented. She has really become versatile and she always surprises me. I’m happy that she has accepted the offer,” said she.

In the series, Claudine is joined by Christian Vasquez and Polo Ravales with Sparkle GMA Center and Regal artists Shaira Diaz, Yasser Marta, Lianne Valentin, Michelle Vito, Sarah Edwards, Rob Gomez, and Kimson Tan.

They are the talents who have proven their mettle in drama that will portray the varied faces of lovers and liars in the present time.

“It’s gonna be another very controversial teleserye because it’s very out of the box. From the title, Lovers/Liars, you will see these two sides — being in love and, at the same time, (becoming) a liar. It came from the concept of Bayarang Puso,” said Roselle.

Bayarang Puso is the 1996 Regal film, directed by Joey Reyes, with Aga Muhlach, Lorna Tolentino, and Carmina Villarroel as the lead stars.

At the helm of the TV series, inspired by the film, is Crisanto Aquino, who was the assistant director of Chito Roño for Etiquette for Mistresses, which also had Claudine in its main cast.

“When I was told that I would handle it based on Bayarang Puso of direk Joey, (I thought of one thing): It should be sensual, intimate and emotional. It should also focus more on what the characters are going through. What they go through is very unusual, it’s not the usual that we see (on TV). The characters have many secrets,” said the director.

“Bawat isa sa kanila ay may madidilim na past na ayaw nang balikan, but they are being haunted by the past, na naaapektuhan sila sa present time nila. (Each of them has a dark past they don’t want to revisit, but they are being haunted by the past, affecting their present time.) “Their dirty secrets seem not to leave them. But at the end of it, they are there to fight these. Every character has pain and a past to face. All of them are (going) towards becoming strong people,” added Crisanto.

The conversations that transpired during the press conference revealed that the Lovers/Liars narrative will offer something familiar and something new to viewers. The audiences will be challenged to reflect on whether they know well the persons they are with and the intention with which they are in a relationship.

Another point is knowing the reason why people keep secrets. Is it to protect themselves or their loved ones? Or is it to have a fresh start?

“In every teleserye or every movie that I do, I always get nervous,” said Claudine.

“I grew up with direk Wenn Deramas and Inang Olive Lamasan na sinasabi sa akin, ‘Anak, kapag hindi ka na nininerbiyos, nerbiyosin ka na, kasi masyado ka ng complacent.’ (If you no longer get nervous, you should worry. It means you’ve become complacent).”

The late Wenn Deramas was a TV and movie director, while Olivia Lamasan is a filmmaker and former head of Star Cinema.

She added, “I really take every role (to) heart. You really have to give your best, which is very important to me.”

As a thespian, Claudine will always give her best and deliver to tell Via’s story and where she is coming from. With that, the audience understands the character’s thoughts and actions.

(Watch Lovers/Liars weeknights at 9:35 on GMA.)