Michelle Madrigal

Michelle Madrigal, who plays a pivotal role on ‘Tinik sa Dibdib,” appeals to Nora Aunor and to the fans of the GMA-7’s afternoon soap for understanding.

“Hindi rin naman namin gusto ang nangyari. Hindi naman p'wedeng 'pag umalis ang lead, stop na. The show must go on,” she points out, referring to the departure of Sunshine Dizon only three weeks after the soap premiered on Sept. 28.

“Kung 'yun ang decision ni Sunshine, nirerespeto namin 'yun. Labas kami do’n. Issue n’ya 'yun, eh. Hindi naman p'wedeng ipilit kung pagod na talaga sila, ‘di ba?”

Nadine Samonte has assumed Sunshine’s role as Lorna, a woman who leaves behind her hard life with her mother but only to find more complexities living in with Lando and his family.

Nora originated the role in the 1985 film directed by Leroy Salvador.

The TV version turns Lorna into a victim of an accident that badly damages her face to make it possible for Nadine to enter the picture.

Despite the abrupt changes in the storyline, Michelle tells Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online that tapings for the soap have been, so far, so good.

“No’ng dumating si Nadine,” she recalls, “hindi naman weird ang feeling. Pero 'yon na nga, kagagaling n’ya lang from ‘Darna’ at kailangan n’yang intindihin ang story kasi ang dami ng nangyari.”

“Fun naman sa taping namin,” she adds. “Wala namang problema. Dapat abangan ang show kasi may mga bagong characters na papasok. May mga twist pa so abangan nila 'yon. Sana naman panoorin pa rin ng viewers.

“'Yon lang naman ang takot namin na baka hindi nila masundan ang story. Sana lang maintindihan nila. Sana si Ms. Nora Aunor 'wag magtampo 'pag napanood n'ya ito.”

Meantime, Michelle continues to dig deeper into her character Moret, Lando’s sister who holds the key to the family’s secret and finds a friend in Lorna.

“It’s definitely challenging,” she remarks on the role that has earned for her movie counterpart, Dina Bonnevie, the best supporting actress nod from the Film Academy of the Philippines.

“They think weird si Moret kasi hindi s’ya nagsasalita. Ang totoo n’ya, sa dami ng sikreto na alam n’ya [ay] napapagalitan at nabubugbog s’ya. Gusto na lang n’yang manahimik kaya 'yon dapat ang makita ng viewers. Hindi lang s’ya pipi.”

Michelle crosses her fingers that the soap’s creative team will follow the movie’s ending in which Moret initiates a fiery conclusion.

“Hopefully sana gano’n ang mangyari. Ang dami ng nabago so sana at least 'yong part na 'yon, masama. Para hindi naman masabi ni Ms. Nora Aunor na lahat binago pati ending. Pero matagal pa naman kaming matatapos so hopefully do’n papunta 'yon.”