Tessie Tomas’ son gives her career advice
(UPDATE) Tessie Tomas doesn’t only get fashion tips from her son, New York-based designer Robin Tomas. She also gets pieces of advice in choosing her acting projects.
“Tinutukso niya ako. Sabi niya, ‘Mommy, tigilan mo muna ang pagganap sa naka-duster na role, baka ma-typecast ka. Sayang naman yung pagiging designer ko. Doon ka naman sa medyo mayaman na magaganda ang suot,’” Tessie said at the press conference of “Mundo Man ay Magunaw” in ABS-CBN compound on Wednesday, January 18.
As Donya Alicia in the teleserye, Tessie’s character is a far cry from the ‘poor’ characters she used to play.
Good luck charm
“So yun nagkatotoo nga (yung sinabi nya), so siguro siya talaga ang swerte sa akin. Sabi niya, ‘You choose a role na nakakaangat naman ng konti,’” Tessie recalls Robin telling her.
Robin used to work as menswear designer of J.Crew, GAP and Tommy Hilfiger and has launched his own label, Tomas.
“May Tomas line na naintroduce sa isang boutique sa Manhattan. Then Robin is also accepted sa Supima, yung winning t-shirt nya na-launch sa Bloomingdales, which makes him the first Filipino designer to be launched there. Kinuha rin ni Robin yung assignment sa Atlantis Productions to be the designer for a big musical called “Nine,” Tessie adds.
Answered prayer
She said that she declined two drama offers before “Mundo Man ay Magunaw” since she didn’t like the roles. So she’s glad she waited for the right role to come along via “Mundo Man ay Magunaw.”
“Biglang dumating ito so my prayer was answered. Andun rin yung value na if only you have the virtue of waiting, then the right project will come your way,” she goes on.
Tessie admires the way Alicia Vergel played Donya Alicia in the original version of the teledrama. But Tessie would rather interpret the character in her own way.
“When I face the camera, nakafocus lang ako base sa napag-aralan ko sa workshop, kung ano ang character ko, obligation of the particular scene. Yung isang technique na ginagawa ko is to be sensitive to the line and the character opposite me,” she said.
Tessie relates that it’s been a long time since she portrayed a “kontrabida.” The last was in “Sa Sandaling Kailangan Mo” in 1999.
Despite the difficult demands of the job, which requires her to work even until the wee hours, Tessie is proud of her new project and excited to work with fellow actors.
“Excited na excited po ako na maging parte ng show. Patayan na po ang taping ngayon. Dala-dala ko ang role dito bilang isang nagmamahal na ina at isang kontrabida. Napakagandang serye nito na magpapabago sa mundo niyo,” Tessie said.
“Mundo Man ay Magunaw” also stars Empress Schuck, Ejay Falcon, Eula Valdez, Nikki Gil, Sanchez, Pinky Amador, Allan Paule, Dianne Medina, Alex Castro and Jason Gainza. It airs starting Janaury 30 on ABS-CBN Kapamilya Gold.
