MANILA, Philippines?Working with Rio Locsin is a wonderful experience for the production team of the Cinema One entry, ?Si Baning, Si Maymay at Ang Asong si Bobo.? Her endearing simplicity, talent, sense of humor and good nature make everyone on the set feel at ease.

Locsin started in show business in 1979. ?I didn?t want to be an actress, but my mother, who was a former starlet at Premiere Productions, thought she could pass her frustrations on to me,? she shares. To convince her, Rio?s mom said she couldn?t afford to send her to school. So, being a dutiful daughter, the pretty teenager acquiesced.

As one of the original Regal Babies, she was launched in Elwood Perez?s ?Disgrasyada.? She recalled, ?Hindi ko alam ang pinaggagawa ko nun. Bagets na bagets pa ako. Prior to that, I would just go to school and head back home after classes.?

Regrets

Any regrets about entering show biz via the bold genre? In a soft voice, she confesses: ?Somehow, yes. Sana, hindi ko na lang ginawa. Pero hindi naman ako mabibigyan ng break kung hindi, because that was the trend then.?

The actress gave a memorable performance in Leroy Salvador?s ?Gising sa Magdamag.? She reminisces, ?I was with Elizabeth Oropesa and Matt Ranillo III. The movie was about the lives of cabaret dancers and prostitutes. Even when the girls got pregnant, they had to continue working. The film?s theme remains relevant to this day.?

Locsin considers Orlando Nadres her mentor. She explains, ?My first stage play was ?Paraisong Parisukat.? He (Nadres) trusted me despite my inexperience and taught me how to internalize and perform in front of an audience.?

Footsteps

Are her three daughters following in her footsteps as an actress? ?I discouraged them from the very start. No offense meant, but I see how young actresses disrespect their parents these days. My dream was for my daughters to finish their studies. Now, they?re all college graduates. I?m very protective of them, because I?ve been through a failed marriage. I got hitched at 18, became a mother at 19, and separated at 21!?

Now a preacher?s wife, Locsin is celebrating 23 years of blissful marriage to Padim Israel. After appearing in independent films like ?Pepot Artista? and ?Mudraks,? she takes on another meaty role in Milo Tolentino?s feature film debut, ?Si Baning, Si Maymay at Ang Asong si Bobo.?

She beams, ?I accepted the role because it?s funny. I know that Tolentino and his team are new at this. Pero, kung walang nagtiyaga sa akin dati, paano ako natuto? Gusto ko, nagiging bahagi ako ng kanilang simula!?