IN A LOT of ways, moving to TV5 was a homecoming of sorts for actress Maricel Soriano.

For her first project with the revitalized network, she returns to a format she popularized in ABS-CBN in the 1990s.

Maricel is headlining the ?TV5 Star Drama Specials? ? with five episodes to be megged by five leading directors. (After Maricel, TV5 will tap other award-winning actors to top-bill the series.)

?I feel blessed that TV5 gave me this opportunity ? Thankful na kinupkup nila ako [that they adopted me] ? and excited to act in the drama-anthology format again,? she told Inquirer. ?I did ?Maricel Drama? for 10 years and I missed doing it.?

?The Maricel Soriano Drama Special? ran from 1988 to 1997 on ABS-CBN.

Varied roles

For the TV5 show, which will run from the end of March to April, she is set to tackle a variety of roles in just as varied genres.

For the first episode (?Dalawa ang Nanay Ko?), which reunites her with fellow Regal star Roderick Paulate, she does comedy, under the direction of Soxie Topacio.

The second episode is horror, under director Rahyan Carlos who also handled her last Kapamilya series ?Florinda.? She?s doing romance, drama and comedy, too, under directors Joyce Bernal, Eric Quizon, and Joel Lamangan.

Biggest challenge for her is ?to give justice to each role.?

She explained that not one genre is easier compared to the others. ?They?re all difficult and require dedication, respect and commitment.?

She follows a simple process in preparing for a role: ?I read and study the script.?

Skipping meals

She is also known to skip meals prior to a big scene.

?She?s intense as an actress,? said Perla Bautista who plays Maricel?s mom in the horror episode entitled ?Batang Putik.?

Interestingly, that episode?s director, Rahyan Carlos, is the grandson of Luciano ?Chaning? Carlos ? who megged Maricel?s biggest hits for Regal Films in the 1980s: ?Inday Bote,? ?Inday, Inday sa Balitaw,? ?Super Inday and the Golden Bibe? and ?Horsey, Horsey: Tigidig-Tigidig.?

?After ?Florinda,? I?m looking forward to work with Rahyan again. I?m proud of him,? said Maricel.

A blast

It was also a blast reuniting with Roderick, her partner in another Chaning Carlos comedy, ?Gorio en Tekla.?

?It?s great to work with him again, especially now that we?ve matured as actors,? she said.

Manager Malou Choa-Fagar hopes that Maricel?s planned sitcom with Roderick will push through on TV5.

Said Maricel: ?The people of TV5 feel for you. I hope they will not change even if they achieve success.?

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