GMA-7's Marimar: The ‘Wow’ factor of ‘Marimar’

“WOW!”

That was the initial reaction of Marian Rivera upon seeing her photographs as “Marimar.”

Rivera, who initially seemed saddled by her sweet image, is being transformed into a sultry siren on the show.

“It’s exciting,” Marian said. “I’m no longer a martyr who’s crying all the time.”

Dingdong Dantes, Sergio to Marian’s Marimar, noticed the change, too: “It was as if she’s blossoming in front of us. She became the character with one click (of the camera).”

Dingdong himself is shedding his boy-next-door persona for this Pinoy version of the Mexican telenovela.

“For the first time, I’m doing a sexy pictorial,” he admitted. “Also, Sergio is not a goody-goody hero here. He’s complicated.”

Dingdong recalled that the shoot in Subic went smoothly. “It didn’t rain.”

The new boob-tube couple hit it off, obviously.

“Dingdong took care of me and made sure I was covered up during breaks,” Marian recalled. “Although it was a sexy shoot, he made me feel comfortable.”

She also clicked with Nigel, the Golden Retriever playing Fulgoso, the talking dog.

“Nigel visited me at home and we had a bonding session,” she recounted.
Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer