Indie star Mercedes Cabral returns to mainstream scene and ABS-CBN

Maureen Marie Belmonte

<div><img src='' alt='080215-mercedes_main.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>Award-winning independent actress Mercedes Cabral is back to working at ABS-CBN and in the mainstream scene through the new afternoon series <i>Ningning.</i></div><div><br/></div><div>As someone who's best known for portraying intense and out-of-the-box roles in independent films, Mercedes admitted that she was initially hesitant to accept the project.</div><div><br/></div><div>“For this<i>, nag-usap kami ng</i> manager ko,<i> sinabi niya sa akin na wala pa akong nagagawa na ganitong</i> character,” she said about the project. “So siguro break <i>nga ito</i> for me<i> sa mga</i> characters<i> ko na maraming dinadala</i> emotionally.</div><div><br/></div><div>“So challenge <i>din siya</i> for me <i>kasi nga wala pa ko nagagawang ganito</i>. So <i>mahihirapan ako sa umpisa. Pero</i> nae-excite <i>din ako kasi okay rin mga katrabaho ko</i>,” she added.</div><div><br/></div><div>Ningning stars child actress Jana Agoncillo. It centers on the journey of <i>Ningning'</i>s family as they move from the province to the city.</div><div><br/></div><div>Mercedes's last project with the Kapamilya network was on 2012 for the Zanjoe Marudo and Megan Young starrer Precious Hearts Romances Presents: <i>Hiyas</i>.</div><div><br/></div><div>Now that she's back atABS-CBN, Mercedes hopes to share the camera again with Prince of Independent Films Coco Martin. The two have worked together in a number of indie films, namely <i>Kinatay, Captive, and Serbis, </i>all of which were directed by Brillante Mendoza.</div><div><br/></div><div>Aside from Coco, she also wants to work with blockbuster actor John Lloyd Cruz because, 'N<i>apapanood ko rin siya</i> and <i>alam ko ‘yong kalibre niya pagdating sa pag-arte.</i>'</div><div><br/></div><div>Now that she has opened herself to the mainstream scene, Mercedes hopes that the walls separating indie from the mainstream stars would be brought down.</div><div><br/></div><div>“S<i>a akin kasi sana wala ng</i> labels or s<i>eparation ng </i>mainstream or indie,<i> kasi</i> for me <i>trabaho lang siya eh,</i>' she explained. “<i>Wala siyang kaibahan din eh ‘yong proseso lang ‘yong kaibahan niya and ‘yong sistema lang</i>. So TV or film, it’s the same.”</div><div><br/></div><div>Does it mean that she will be open to working with ABS-CBN's film outfit Star Cinema?</div><div><br/></div><div>'<i>Tignan natin</i>. I don't know <i>siguro depende sa</i> story, <i>depende sa</i> character,' she said.</div><div><br/></div>

Mercedes Cabral hopes to work with Kapamilya stars John Lloyd Cruz and Coco Martin.

Indie star Mercedes Cabral returns to mainstream scene and ABS-CBN | PUSH.COM.PH