FOR HER latest role on the GMA 7 soap ?Basahang Ginto,? Carla Abellana consulted her grandmother, LVN star Delia Razon.

?When I told my lola the title of my new soap, she said it was a Sampaguita film that starred Alicia Vergel and Pancho Magalona, and that Alicia won the first Famas Best Actress for that movie (based on a komiks novel by Mars Ravelo) in 1952. She instantly remembered it. I never got to watch the original, so I?ll ask my grandmom about it.?

Since it?s heavy drama, Carla considers it her ?most challenging and difficult? role so far.

On her first taping day, director Joel Lamangan immediately threw Carla into a draining scene that left the budding actress in tears. ?It was a fight scene in Smokey Mountain,? she related. ?I couldn?t get it at first, but Direk Joel kept pushing me.? By the end of the day, Carla was sapped and shedding real tears.

Double time

Carla is working double time these days. Apart from the daily afternoon soap ?Basahang Ginto? with perennial partner Geoff Eigenmann, she shares the small screen with Dennis Trillo in the weekly drama, ?Love Bug: The Last Romance.?

?I?ve always wanted to act with Dennis, who was my co-host in ?Starstruck V,?? Carla said.

As a bonus, the taping of ?Love Bug? was held on a cruise ship and in Disneyland in Hong Kong.

It was no holiday, though.

?We were on our own. We didn?t have assistants with us. We had to carry our own stuff and do our own hair and makeup,? she recounted.

It was a whirlwind shoot, as well. ?We had only three days. It was tiring. We didn?t have the chance to enjoy Hong Kong, but we learned to be independent.?

Show biz likewise taught her the importance of time management, she said.

Precious break

Isn?t Carla worried that Lola Delia might get upset because they seldom see each other because of her very hectic work schedule?

?No,? she said. ?I make it a point to spend quality time with my family.?

She had a month-long break between her last show, ?The Last Prince? and ?Love Bug? and ?Basahang Ginto.?

?That whole month, I just spent at home, hanging out and catching up with my family. Whenever possible, I make sure I find time to talk to my grandma,? Carla said.

(Being close to one?s family is a quality she shares with, and loves about, rumored beau Geoff. Best of all, grandma approves of Geoff.)

These days, her grandma is sprucing up their home, Carla related. ?She likes keeping herself busy.?

Like lola, like apo.

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