Long before Gladys Reyes became one of Philippine television’s most recognizable kontrabidas, her portrayal of Clara in the iconic drama “Mara Clara” became so convincing that some viewers apparently found it difficult to separate the actress from the character.

Looking back on the phenomenal series, Gladys recalled how the public’s intense reaction to Clara sometimes followed her beyond the television screen.

“Kapag sinabi pa lang ‘Mara Clara,’ grabe yung iyakan nung tao. Grabeng init yung pagtanggap nila,” Gladys shared.

The actress remembered visiting homes before appearing onstage during events and immediately sensing that some people were not particularly happy to see her because of what Clara had done on television.

“Pagdating doon, mararamdaman mo siguro lalo na ’yung mga lola, nanay, kasambahay, galit sila sa akin. Parang akala nila masama ugali ko,” she recalled.

Instead of being offended, Gladys understood that the reactions were partly a reflection of how deeply audiences had become invested in “Mara Clara.”

“Kailangan may ready akong smile para alam nila na hindi po ako ganon sa totoong buhay,” she said, recalling the moment viewers would realize, “Ah, so hindi pala kontrabida si Clara sa totoong buhay.”

Interestingly, Gladys revealed that misconceptions also surrounded her relationship with co-star Judy Ann Santos, who played Mara.

Despite becoming one of television’s most memorable onscreen rivals, the two actresses were not immediately close during the early years of the show.

“Hindi kami talaga magkaibigan pa ni Judy Ann. So when we were doing early years of ‘Mara Clara,’ we were just colleagues, kasi Judy Ann is the complete opposite of me,” Gladys explained.

Their personalities could hardly have been more different. Gladys described herself as talkative and eager to socialize even after long working hours, while Judy Ann was much quieter.

“So kung ako madaldal, si Judy Ann, tahimik lang siya,” she said.

Gladys even wondered at the time whether her constant attempts to start conversations might have annoyed her co-star.

“So inisip ko nun, ‘Naku, baka naiinis ’to sa akin.’ Baka ayaw niya ng madaldal. Baka hindi siya natutuwa na kinakausap ko siya,” she recalled.

But there was another amusing twist to their contrasting personalities. While viewers associated Clara with being difficult because of her villainous role, Judy Ann’s naturally reserved demeanor could sometimes be misinterpreted by people who did not know her personally.

“Tapos si Judy Ann, marami ring hindi nakakaalam, in person tahimik siya so napagkakamalan siyang suplada,” Gladys said.

That created an ironic reversal of their famous television personas.

“So merong misconception talaga before na sa totoong buhay, si Mara ang suplada,” she added.

“Mara Clara,” which began airing in 1992, would become a defining chapter in the careers of both actresses. Their performances as Clara and Mara left such a powerful impression that the characters became deeply embedded in Philippine pop culture.

Decades later, Gladys’ memories offer a glimpse of what happened behind one of local television’s most famous rivalries. Away from the cameras, there was no real-life Clara plotting against Mara—just two young actresses with very different personalities finding their way through the extraordinary popularity of a television phenomenon.