It’s going to be a big, busy summer for Sarah Lahbati, who is set to topbill Viva Entertainment and TV5’s latest collaboration project, “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa.” It’s the 1986 Rudy Fernandez classic movie that will be adapted to a TV series.
We caught up with Sarah two weeks into their taping, with a full day of content gathering at TV5 Reliance Mandaluyong’s Smart Studios. Her aura was much lighter compared to when we saw her in December during the show’s story conference. She was all smiles, energetic, and ready to chat away.
The show has seen some delays because it was originally scheduled to premiere in February but the summer pilot made more sense as it built anticipation for Sarah’s fans.
She shared, “I’m so blessed na ito iyong project na binigay sakin ni Lord. I was actually very nervous coming into this project kasi nga ang tagal, di ba?”
The actress also talked about her first day back on the set after almost a decade for a previous project.
“On our first taping day, everything went smoothly. Ang ginawa ko talaga was to feel comfortable,” said Sarah, adding that doing a teleserye can be likened to riding a bicycle, and her co-stars are Kiko Estrada, Sid Lucero, and Rhen Escaño.
Another point why summer seems like a better launching date for Sarah’s show is that things surrounding her personal affairs have simmered down quite a bit.
We were careful to ask Sarah about the issues given the possible legal concerns of what she can or cannot divulge, especially with children getting involved. But she was generous enough to give us an update about how her two beautiful sons are doing.
“You know, they’re growing up so fast. It’s not easy on any child, but I’m here for them and they’re better,” she shared.
When Sarah said this, I quickly picked up for a follow-up as I alluded that it related to her and allegedly estranged husband Richard Gutierrez’s situation.
So I asked, “You’re saying this because you’re co-parenting, right now?” To which Sarah quickly confirmed, “Yeah, yeah.”
Co-parenting is when parents aren’t under the same roof but still both parties are hands-on in giving the best for their children.
Sarah added, “It’s not ideal for the children, let’s go back to the kids… but that’s life. They’ll be fine.”
She also confirmed that the communication line between her and Richard is not open at the moment but one thing she can say is that they’re amazing parents to their children.
“We’re good at parenting and we are there for the kids. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Last January, as Sarah rang in the new year, she shared a snap of her new house, though she did not directly confirm if they’re not together anymore. Just do the math.
Besides Sarah’s parents, she has built a great friendship with Kyline Alcantara and Sofia Andres. We see them there for one another at events and on their social media feeds. Her support system now is what gets her going in the right direction as well.
We also asked Sarah about the constant online bullying she has been getting on her socials and in high spirits, this was how Sarah reacted to it: “Natatawa ako. We have to take things lightly, ‘di ba? Or else puputi buhok natin and hindi tayo magiging happy.”
She even knew what title the Internet had given her.
“So, natutuwa ako sa lahat ng tumatawag sa’kin ng patron saint ng waldas! As in natatawa ako every day may comment about it. So, sinakyan ko ng konti!”
The reality is Sarah is good with money and keeps her investments in the down low. “In reality, I am very proud to say that I’m good at saving. I am good at finances. I’m working hard to provide for my children and for myself and my parents.”
Watch Sarah in “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa” in April on TV5.