Carla in a ‘queer’ comeback

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a puzzling dilemma that could happen to any unsuspecting married woman. What could be worse: Losing your husband to a ravishing young mistress, or finding out that his so-called paramour is actually another guy?

With all its convoluted ethical, moral and — of course — sexual implications, this dynamic makes for a fresh new twist to the clichéd “other woman” storyline that has been plaguing local movies and teleseryes for some time now.

It’s this novel spin that’s been getting televiewers curious about GMA 7’s forthcoming teleserye dubbed My Husband’s Lover, which stars Tom Rodriguez as the husband Vincent, Dennis Trillo as Eric, the husband’s lover, and Carla Abellana as Lally, the martyr wife.

Raring to get back in front of the cameras after a nine-month hiatus, Carla waxes ecstatic upon getting a drift of the storyline during the story conference some weeks back.

“It’s the first-ever drama on primetime television about same-sex adultery,” Carla proudly shares. “That’s what is believed to appeal to the viewers. So many things to watch out for — the evil mother-in-law, the children falling apart and getting into trouble, Lally being accused of adultery and blamed for the troubled marriage, the friendship of Lally and Eric, etc.”

So, how do the characters resolve the brewing tension brought about by such “queer” complications?

Carla explains, “Although Lally is martyr, Vincent will do his best to stay a family man. He’ll decide not to go on with his gay escapades. And together they decide to keep the family tight and work the marriage out. They’ll keep his sexuality a secret from everyone.”

“At least, I can say that there’s definitely no other woman here!” she teases.

If this scenario were to happen in real life, what advice would Carla offer a friend and would-be bride getting married to someone who “smells” queer?

“It depends who the woman is and how close i am to her. But in any situation, i will never interfere with a marriage. There’s no third person in a marriage,” she admits. “Besides, my ‘gay-dar’ isn’t that fine-tuned. I’m poor at sensing if a guy is closet-gay.”

My Husband’s Lover actually comes close on the heels of Mrs. Snow White, which unfortunately didn’t push through due to logistical problems.

As Carla explains, “There wasn’t enough time to prepare for it, considering we were only meeting February and the pilot was already in March. Prosthetics and body suits were to be ordered from the US and they needed at least a month, I believe. More so, the body suits cost so much. I felt dismayed but better the show shelved than forced to air and suffering in quality.

She adds, “In my contract, I’m only supposed to have one soap a year, anyway. They took their time to think of a replacement for Mrs. Snow White and the long wait was definitely worth it. I don’t mind the long wait.”

During the press huddle, reporters couldn’t help but remark about Carla’s slimmer figure. What could’ve driven her to shed off those unwanted pounds?

“It actually started around October or November last year,” she recounts. “I gained a lot of weight and I wasn’t happy with my body, especially how it looked on TV. So, I started doing Zumba, boxing and anti-gravity yoga. Would you believe I don’t really have to go on any kind of a diet? I guess all those activities are more than enough to keep my calories in check.”

With her string of endorsements and projects, Carla never fails to count her blessings. “Not just in showbiz, but with my personal and family life as well,” she acknowledges. “With all these, all I can say is that God is good, and He has his plans.”