How Dingdong stays faithful

MANILA, Philippines - Dingdong Dantes thrives in relationship-driven, adult dramas, showing mature handling of characters. This is an uptrend in Dingdong’s career, detouring from saccharine assignments.

Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real, GMA 7’s latest primetime offering, attests that Dingdong is never wanting in the drama department.

“Let’s just say, (it is because) the story is close to reality,” says Dingdong of his potential in tearjerkers. “There’s a hint of reality, (although) hindi naman sa akin (nangyari). We see (these situations) in our surroundings and they happen every day.”

Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real will try to live up to its English pronunciation “real,” mirroring the fundamentals of family life and the relationships that make or break it.

“It will also explore and tackle the dynamics of families,” says Dingdong. “Most of the time, the family plays a vital role in who a person becomes. Unconsciously, the person will grow up (similar) to his mother or father. The result (or his personality can be attributed to) what has happened to him in the past.”

The premise and the plot of Dingdong’s TV project speak about the family as agent of socialization and its impact on one’s “self.” The actor implies that “everything is interconnected,” and if something goes wrong in the present, the past can provide the explanation such as why a person acts in a particular way. Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real will also deal with different archetypes of family, adds Dingdong. The family of Shiela Real (played by Lovi Poe) represents the conservative type. Millet Real’s (Maricel Soriano) family is “matapobre.” Anthony Real (Dingdong) is brought up in a conservative-liberal home.

“Lahat naman good (boy),” says Dingdong of Anthony’s marital plight, having fallen in love with two women and being married to them. “It’s just that bad situations happen and you have to choose. Whether your choice is right or wrong, you have to stick to it, kailangan mong panindigan.”

Anthony, adds Dingdong, is not totally a “black” character. He is just a human being who makes mistakes. “Nobody is perfect,” as the saying goes.

“Meron at meron kang magagawa na pagkakamali (You can’t help but make mistakes),” he says. “It just happens that the show will highlight that flaw. You’ll see how he will rise from the situation and will go about it. (Portraying such character) is tough because I don’t know how it’s like to be married to someone, much more to two (women).”

Asked if he had experienced similar situations before, Dingdong answers, “Wala pa naman. Sabihin na lang natin yung mga pagkakamali lang. For sure, it had happened in the past and it was not necessarily pertaining to relationships or to women. You committed that mistake because you thought it was right.”

If ever a man gets entangled in a complicated romance, it’s because of “bugso ng damdamin” (or being impulsive), as Dingdong puts it. 

Playing lover to someone older is not new to Dingdong. In Pahiram ng Sandali, his character named Alex Santiago had a short-lived affair with Lorna Tolentino’s character.

How does Dingdong stay faithful to his ladylove? He says that when the situation is “susceptible to temptation,” the man should know when to exit. Knowing his priorities in life right now and the consequences of infidelity spares Dingdong from engaging in such unpopular and frowned-upon romantic affair.    

“I think it will be the toughest situation to be in,” shares Dingdong. “Alam mo naman tao lang tayo (We’re only humans). You have so much room in your heart and sometimes you cannot just give it to just one person. We love our family and friends. It’s not necessarily romantic love. Minsan yung ganung klaseng pagmamahal, kahit sabihin nating crush lang, it can (turn) into love later also.” 

Since Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real tends to present a discourse on infidelity and deceit, the Kapuso Entertainment team is careful in treating the story. “There will be moral lessons,” Dingdong says. “I don’t want men to be misrepresented (or misunderstood). I’m not the only one who has that concern, even the network. We just want to give everybody a good story where they can learn from it. Balanse lang talaga.”

The theme may pose challenges to the creative people as well as the actors, but nonetheless Dingdong is expected to deliver a tour-de-force performance with acting veteran Maricel in the teleserye. “It’s good that there’s kaba because you get challenged, whereas you are very comfortable at first,” he says. “You should be given a challenge in every project that you do. Napakagaling na artista ni Maricel. Anyone who will work with her is being challenged.”

As what he has shown on the big screen in recent years, Dingdong will simply embrace the challenge of being the monsieur of Mesdames Real.