MANILA - “Rewind,” the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry of real-life couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, is set to start filming this week and the actress is looking forward to her big screen return.

Directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar, “Rewind” is a collaboration between Star Cinema, Tony Tuviera’s APT Entertainment and Dantes’ Agosto Dos Media.

“Excited kami na nakapasok ang ‘Rewind’ sa film festival,” Rivera told ABS-CBN News. “Sana ibalik natin ang pagtangkilik sa pelikulang Pilipino.”

Last June, it was announced that Rivera and Dantes would star in the powerful fantasy-drama. The script by Enrico Santos was ready as far back as 2020, but filming went on hold because of the pandemic.

• Dingdong, Marian to headline Star Cinema film 'Rewind'

When Rivera first got hold of the script, she read it in one hour and she ended up in tears.

Similarly, Dantes who previously read the script ahead of his wife, also cried after without telling her.

Rivera is so thankful that after four years of not being in front of the cameras, she started a teleserye again before filming “Rewind.”

“Hindi ko na yata alam ang anggulo ko,” Rivera said. “To be honest, nangapa ako. Ang hirap mag-adjust. Then memorizing the lines again. After ilang weeks, naka-adjust na ako. I am always looking forward to our taping.”

Rivera is aware that as an MMFF entry, “Rewind” will be up against other films with award-winning actresses such as Sharon Cuneta in Nuel Naval’s “A Mother and a Son,” Vilma Santos in Rado Peru and Rommel Penesa’s “When I Met You in Tokyo,” Nadine Lustre in Mikhail Red’s “Nokturno” or even Nora Aunor in Adolf Alix’s “Pieta” might be an entry.

“Nakakatuwa dahil alam mong bumabalik na ang pelikulang Pilipino,” Rivera maintained. “Ito na tayo ulit. Sana ang MMFF ngayon tangkilikin na talaga ng publiko.”

She and Dantes might not be able to attend the ABS-CBN Ball on September 30. “Alam ko may shooting kami on that day,” she said. “Star Cinema gave us a schedule.”

In her future film projects, Rivera will not mind working with any Kapamilya star. “Kahit sino ‘yan, basta tama ang project, tama ang kwento at tama ang time, okay ako,” she said.

Rivera recently got the tag as “TikTok Queen” after she started dancing again and her TikTok videos got millions of views.

“Nag post ako ng first dance, birthday ko, which was August 12,” Rivera offered. “One month pa lang. Matagal ng sinasabi sa akin na mag-TikTok ako. May nag-suggest, ‘Bakit di ka sumayaw?’

“Ayoko na sanang sumayaw. Nahihiya na ako. Pero sabi ko, ‘Try natin. To the left, to the right.’ Ayun na.”

Rivera uploads her dance videos wearing only round-neck shirt, pants and a baseball cap. Her dance was effortless and millions who have seen the videos tag them as “sexy.”

“Kahit na hindi pa ako artista, ganoon talaga ang porma ko,” she allowed. “Kumportable talaga ako sa porma kong ganu’n. Pero bilang artista ka, may mga events ka ina-attendan, kailangan pa rin siguro you maintain the character of being an artist pa rin.

“Ang pina-key lang talaga, ‘pag ako sumasayaw, I just enjoy it. Sa mga nakakakilala sa akin, they know na love ko talaga ang pag-sasayaw. Binalik ko lang ulit.”

She wants to dance with her hubby, Dantes, himself a very good dancer. “Pinipilit ko na siya, malapit ko ng ma-convince si Dong,” the actress said. “Super proud naman talaga siya in anything that I do. Siya talaga ang dancer, back-up lang ako.”

Rivera makes it a point to read the comments and even answers them. Her eldest daughter, Zia, is likewise proud of her mom’s Tiktok videos.
“Ginagaya na nga ni Zia. ‘Mama, to the left, to the right.’ She would tell me.”

Rivera gets thrilled every time she reads the positive comments on TikTok. “Thank you sa lahat who love my dance,” Rivera said. “Enjoy ko lang ang Tiktok ngayon. Nakakataba ng puso.”

She was recently tagged by Preview Magazine as a “style icon,” something that thrilled the actress.

“Nakakataba rin ng puso ‘yun,” Rivera maintained. “Kung kilala niyo ako, isusuot ko kung saan ako kumportable. Hindi ako ja-jam kung ano lang ang uso.

“Kung hundi ako kumportable, kahit uso ‘yan, hindi ko susuotin ‘yan. Duon ako sa kumportable at kaya kong dalhin.”

The actress cannot be more thankful that nearly two decades after she started acting, she is still very much around.

“Lahat ng ito utang ko sa taas,” Rivera said, referring to the One Up There. “Kung hindi naman dahil sa kanya, wala ang lahat ng ito. Everything talaga, I praise Him.”

On her self-care tips, Rivera emphasized the importance of having her “me-time,” no matter how busy she gets.

“’Yung me-time na ‘yun, doon mo malalaman kung paano mo ia-adjust lahat ng bagay na ginagawa mo,” she explained.

“I play games like Super Mario or Snaker. I think patungo na ako to being a gamer. [Laughed] Mahalaga talaga that you enjoy your time sa kahit na simpleng pamamaraan. ‘Yung ang me-time mo para sa sarili mo.”

“Pangalawa, kahi na may mga anak na kayo, huwag niyong puputulin ang fire ng pagmamahalan niyo ng asawa niyo,” Rivera added. “Kasi nakakatulong din ‘yan.

“Si Dong, very supportive siya. Sa lahat ng gagawin ko, nandyan talaga siya to support me at malaking factor ‘yun para maging blooming ka. Nabo-boost niya ‘yung confidence mo lagi.

“Of course, the kids. Kapag may anak ka na talaga, iba na ang lahat. Lahat ‘yan, combined na lahat. Of course, importante din na hindi mawawala ang faith mo sa Kanya.”

Having another baby is not among Rivera’s plans at the moment. “Ang dami ko pang gagawin,” she emphasized. “May soap ako, may movie ako, may TikTok ako. Sasayaw muna ako at enjoy ko ‘yun.”

Rivera recently did a mommy TV ad for Solmux Advance, a new formulation in suspension for those who have coughs. The whole Dantes family was previously featured in a TV ad for the cough medicine.

“Advance mag-isip,” the tag line of Solmux Advance, is “very me,” according to Rivera. “Advance talaga ako,” Rivera said. “Pa-ubo ka pa lang, alam ko na ang gagawin ko. Tayong mga nanay, alam natin ‘yan.

“We want to make sure na lahat ng mga kasama natin sa bahay, hindi lang ang mga anak ko or ang asawa ko, tama ang ini-inom na gamut. Umpisa pa lang, solusyunan na.”

Rivera’s priority is her family. “Sana buo kami, masaya at ligtas palagi sa ano mang karamdaman,” she said.