Gelli de BelenGelli de Belen was still a teenager when she first worked with veteran actress Pilar Pilapil in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” three decades ago. Today, the two of them were given a chance to star together in director Louie Ignacio’s psychological suspense thriller, “Mantsa” (Stain).
“It’s lovely to work with Tita Pilar in a full-length film,” De Belen told ABS-CBN News. “When you look at her, she looks very proper, formal and strict. Those are the initial impressions of her. But she tells you many stories when you talk to each other. It’s fun to be with her.”
Being in the industry for more than three decades, De Belen insisted she will never really be satisfied with the projects she has done as an actress or achieved in her work through the years.
“There’s always something more to do,” she said. “There’s always something better and a goal higher that you can reach. If there comes a time that you’re already satisfied with your craft, maybe you can pack up and go. You’re no longer aspiring for anything more. There’s never enough. There’s always a goal to reach and a performance you want to meet.”
“Mantsa” starts its regular theater run October 7. Presented by Dragons Entertainment Productions, with Bambbi Fuentes and Tine Areola as executive producers and Ric Valenzuela, Jr. as producer. Fuentes is also line producer. Production manager is Dennis Evangelista.
Also in the cast are Shira Tweg, Khai Flores, Snooky Serna, Lloyd Samartino, Janice de Belen and Dino Guevarra, with Miles Poblete, Than Perez, RJ Ariar, Jass de la Torre, Milli Marzo, Ghia Garcia, Bo Bautista, LA Santos and Raine Barretto.
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While filming “Mantsa,” De Belen refuses to think about the things she’s afraid of. “Maybe if there’s one thing I’m afraid of, that’s to be away from my family or to be away from my sons,” she said.
“I hope I will not have to deal with health issues. As you get older, maybe that’s what you are really afraid of. Dealing with health issues as you get older. Getting sick and be away from your loved ones.”
Cast and production executives of 'Mantsa' (from left) supervising producer Bambbi Fuentes, actor Khai Flores, Gelli de Belen, Pilar Pilapil, Shira Tweg, executive producer Tine Areola and producer Ric Valenzuela, Jr.
Since she is often in Canada to visit her two sons – Joaquin Andres and Julio Alessandro – with actor-hubby Ariel Rivera, De Belen gives the public the impression that she is semi-retired from showbiz. Yet, she insisted she still loves to work and make films. “I’m still here [in the Philippines],” De Belen said. “I’m always here. I just go back and forth in Canada where my boys are based.”
She is in the cast of “The Good Doctor,” a series adaptation which she has yet to finish since they had to reshoot to make it more Filipino. She is not sure when it will be aired. “I would love to do other films. I still live here in Manila.
“I’d like to be remembered as an actress who is effective, bendable, someone who is good to work with, someone who delivers. That would be the best mark or stain, ‘mantsa,’ that I can leave in the industry.”
De Belen insisted that all of us have made a stain in life. “Dala ng pagkakamali natin, lahat tayo may naging mantsa sa buhay,” she said. “Mabubura lang ang mga mantsa na ‘yan if we will learn from those mistakes. Either you correct your mistakes or you understand why you made those mistakes.
“I think you won’t live a full life if those mistakes didn’t happen to us. You made decisions, you lived your life, you risked things, you made a mistake. Nadapa ka, tumayo, but you also succeeded. Kung wala kang gano’n sa buhay mo, bakit ka pa nabuhay. We live life to the fullest. That’s why we only have one life. Go and let’s enjoy it.”
She shared how she and Ariel celebrated his 60th birthday last September 1. It was a very simple celebration in their house. “I didn’t even cook,” De Belen said. “We just ordered food. His brother came and we had dinner. He insisted he did not want any surprise.
READ: Gelli de Belen shares keys to lasting marriage with Ariel Rivera
“For a month before his birthday, I was asking him how he wanted to celebrate it. Did he want to have a party? Did we want to go out of town? Did he want to just play golf? It was his 60th. I asked if he wanted to have dinner. We just stayed at home. Chill lang kami. The boys are not here. They’re in Canada. That’s one of the main reasons Ariel did not want to celebrate.”
The couple has been married for nearly three decades now. They tied the knot in 1997. “Usually, it’s the girls who want to make the marriage work,” De Belen said. “But I found the right guy who wants the same thing. Feeling ko we have the same outlook in life. We have the same goals so what we want to happen are the same.”
Will Ariel stage any concert soon? “That has always been brought up by friends, people in the business and I bring it up with him,” De Belen said. “But Ariel wants to do it at the right time. You know Ariel. Sometimes, he just wakes up and wants to do something, so go. But if he feels that’s not the right time yet to do a concert, he will not do it.”
FROM THE ARCHIVES