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Mercedes Cabral plays Lena in 'Batang Quiapo'

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MJ Felipe

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1720694322019Mercedes-Cabral-071102024.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Mercedes Cabral plays Lena in &#x27;Batang Quiapo&#x27;"/><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Mercedes Cabral plays Lena in &#x27;Batang Quiapo&#x27; </div><div> </div>MANILA -- Award-winning actress Mercedes Cabral just hit gold with her role as the mistress Lena in the series <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">&quot;FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.&quot; ABS-CBN News sat down with Cabral during their taping and she was genuinely surprised with the wave of reactions she’s been getting, especially online.“Hindi ko ine-expect na magiging ganito ang impact ni Lena sa mga tao. Ine-expect ko na maraming maiinis, kasi sinasadya ko rin. iniisipan ko kung ano &#x27;yung pwede kong gawin for the character of Lena, para maasar &#x27;yung mga tao,” she said.What even shocked her was when she saw some people mocking her actions and voice on scenes on TikTok.“Nagugulat ako na may gumagaya na. Hindi ko naman siya sinasadyang gawin, siyempre ginagawa ko lang &#x27;yung requirement na hinihingi o pinapagawa sa amin,” she said.Cabral credits the success of her scenes with her co-actors John Estrada and Cherry Pie Picache. Estrada plays Rigor, Lena’s live-in partner, while Picache plays Marites, the legal wife of Rigor. Their unusual set-up under one roof and the tension that follows attracted viewers.  “Sobrang thankful ako kay Miss Pie, kasi nung nagsta-start kami, gina-guide niya ako. Kasi mangangapa ka talaga as actors. May mga naiisip siya, na sige idagdag natin ito. Hindi sa nangingialam, pero sobrang helpful siya para sa akin. Giving sila, hindi madamot,” said Cabral.  Having been effective in the role, Cabral’s character is now being labeled as the &quot;pambansang jumper&quot; or &quot;national mistress&quot; on primetime television. Her reaction? “Actually, hindi ko nga alam kung mao-offend ba ako doon o pero siyempre para sa kin, compliment din &#x27;yun kasi ibig sabihin nagagawa ko nang maayos yung character.”Cabral has been in the industry for years now. She started and had more roots in filmmaking than mainstream television. She has worked with award-winning director Brillante Mendoza on a number of movies and has also worked with Coco Martin in movies like &quot;Serbis,&quot; &quot;Kinatay&quot; and &quot;Apag.&quot; Mercedes shared how she landed the role of Lena. “Naalala ko, wala na akong teleserye noon. Tinext ko siya, ‘Coco, pag meron kang bago please sana ma-include ako, kahit konting role lang.&#x27; Bago mag-&#x27;Batang Quiapo.’ Tapos sabi ni Direk CM (Coco Martin), ‘Chedeng, buti na lang minessage mo ko meron akong bagong gagawin’, and then nagulat na ako eto na yung ‘Batang Quiapo,’” she recalled.“And because of ‘Batang Quiapo’, mas nakilala din ako sa mainstream. Mas nare-recognize na ako noon, dati nare-recognize ako sa films, kasi iba ito.”While most viewers are mad at her as Lena, Cabral has nothing but appreciation for her followers and viewers of their nightly primetime show.  “Kahit kinaiinisan niyo na si Lena, kahit maraming nagsasabi na dapat alisin na daw &#x27;yung character ko, nanonood pa rin kayo. Inaabangan nyo pa rin. Maraming salamat kasi naiintindihan nyo rin at tinatanggap niyo yung character ng katulad ni Lena,” she said.<div> </div>

Award-winning actress Mercedes Cabral just hit gold with her role as the mistress Lena in the series 'FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.'

Award-winning actress Mercedes Cabral just hit gold with her role as the mistress Lena in the series 'FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.'

Mercedes Cabral on 'Batang Quiapo' role: 'Ine-expect ko na maraming maiinis, kasi sinasadya ko rin'

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Mercedes Cabral on 'Batang Quiapo' role: 'Ine-expect ko na maraming maiinis, kasi sinasadya ko rin'

MJ Felipe,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 11, 2024 06:46 PM PHT

Read More:

Mercedes Cabral

Lena

Batang Quiapo

Coco Martin

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