Who could forget Camille Prats’s performance as a child star during the late ‘90s? She made Filipino viewers laugh, cry, and sympathize with her through her roles in Sarah… Ang Munting Prinsesa and Ang Pulubi at Ang Prinsesa. At that age, Camille showed she was the Drama Princess of her generation who knew how to stir viewers’ emotions.
After five years since Ang Forever Ko’y Ikaw aired in 2018, Camille returns to the small screen this 2023. This time, she shares the limelight with two of this generation’s Drama Princesses, Shayne Sava and Althea Ablan, for the upcoming GMA drama series AraBella.
Both young actresses are grateful for the network recognizing their talents in soap operas and promising to give their best in future projects to maintain or further their prospects in the industry.
However, their latest distinction as the next generation of dramatic actresses also brings a new wave of pressure for Shayne and Althea. Nonetheless, they see it as motivation for improvement.
Shayne plays Ara, Roselle’s adopted daughter whom she raised after losing her biological child. If there’s one word Shayne used to describe the role, it’s extreme because it’s unlike her other performance on previous soaps.
“Mas rollercoaster ‘yung buhay ni Ara. Mas madami siyang pinagdaanan and at the same time, mas intense ‘yung emotions niya,” Shayne shared during an online press conference.
In the meantime, Althea plays Bella, Roselle’s long-lost daughter. Bella’s return will spark a feud between her and Ara as she tries to assert herself and win over her mother’s undivided affection.
“Ang pinagkaiba niya sa mga nauna kong character, syempre andoon din ako sa ako ‘yung inaapi, pero ‘yung sa Prima Donnas din ako ‘yung palaban, ako ‘yung tagapagtanggol ng mga kapatid ko. Pero this time, si Bella, nagsta-stand alone lang siya. Sarili lang niya ‘yung pinaglalaban niya dahil meron siyang gustong makuha,” Althea explained.
Despite their differences, Ara and Bella desire the same thing: a mother’s love.
Meanwhile, Camille plays Roselle, the grieving mother who finds solace in having Ara around before reuniting ahighlight Camille’s skills in dramatic acting by tugging on the heartstrings of mothers and daughters. Yet her return to the small screen wasn’t without concerns since five years away from the limelight was long.
“Parang feeling ko talaga, kaya ko pa ba? Marunog pa ba ako? Paano na ba ang style ng pag-arte ngayon? Marami ng nag-change through time,” Camille shared, who later admitted that she struggled to memorize her lines on the show.
With Camille’s acting skills that landed her the awe of her generation and Shayne and Althea’s modern take on soap operas, AraBella poses to be a must-watch for Filipino viewers who don’t mind whipping their tissues out for heartwarming and heart-wrenching scenes.
Directing AraBella is Adolf Alix Jr. The series also stars Wendell Ramos, Alfred Vargas, Nova Villa, Abdul Raman, and Ronnie Lazaro, to name a few.
AraBella premieres today on GMA Afternoon Prime.
