Mercedes Cabral finds ‘Lena’ role a blessing

Mercedes Cabral finds ‘Lena’ role a blessing | Daily Tribune

If you’re an avid viewer of top-rating primetime series Batang Quiapo, you must be familiar and probably one of the many who hates her as the scheming character named ‘Lena’ played by actor Mercedes Cabral.

In an exclusive chat with Mercedes, she told DAILY TRIBUNE that she has been getting messages from fans on social media who are quite affected by her scenes in the Coco Martin-led series.

“Well, may mga tao na pine-personal na ako. Hindi na Lena yung tawag sakin or sinasabi, kundi Mercedes Cabral, na so ako na mismo tinitira. But mostly sa messages ito. In person naman pag may mga nakaka-recognize sa kin, they say things like ‘gusto kita sampalin kasi kuhang-kuha mo yung inis ko, pero ang galing mo.’ So kapag nakakarinig ako ng mga ganong bagay, that is a huge compliment for me (Well, there are people who have made it personal. They don’t refer to me anymore as Lena, but call me by my name, Mercedes Cabral. But those are usually in the messages. In person, when someone recognizes me, they would say things like, ‘I’d like to slap you because you really get to me, but you are so good!’ When I hear such things, it’s a huge compliment for me).”

Mercedes adds that if people react to one’s portrayal, it means one is doing a good job as an actor.

“Ibig sabihin, nagagawa ko ng maayos yung trabaho ko. Nagagawa ko ng maayos yung assigned character sa akin (It only means that what I’m doing my job well. I am able to portray the character assigned to me well). As an actor, it’s your job to give life to a character in a story. At kailangan yung mga characters na tulad ni Lena sa storya. Sila kasi nagbibigay ng conflict sa story e. Although sometimes, naapektuhan ako sa mga sinasabi ng tao, siyempre tao lang din naman ako, iniisip ko na lang na ang importante nagagawa ko ng maayos trabaho ko (And you need characters like Lena. They provide the conflict in a story. Although sometimes I get affected by what people say, I am just human. But I just think it’s more important that I am able to do my job well),” she says.