To be playing Gio Ilustre, the son of Jodi Sta. Maria and Zanjoe Marudo’s characters in “The Broken Marriage Vow,” has given Zaijian Jaranilla quite a load of pressure.

The pressure, the actor said, came from the fact that the series has been adapted many times over.

“Sobrang kinakabahan po ako at napi-pressure kasi ang dami na nga pong nakagawa nitong ‘The Broken Marriage Vow.’ Siyempre, kailangan mong mag-offer at maghanda ng bago sa kanila kasi baka sabihin nila ‘ay napanood na namin ‘yan.’ So, pinaghandaan ko po siya nang maigi at sa tulong ng buong cast namin ay napaganda namin,” he said during the online press conference for the series on Jan. 13.

(I was so nervous and pressured because there have been so many adaptations of “The Broken Marriage Vow.” Of course, you need to offer and prepare something new for people because they might say, “We’ve already seen that.” So, I really prepared for it, and with the help of the whole cast, we were able to make it beautiful.)

To prepare for his role as Gio, the son who gets stuck in the troubles of his warring parents, Jaranilla watched the original version to familiarize himself with the story.

“Pinanood ko po siya hindi po dahil required ito na panoorin. Pinanood ko siya para alam ko ang takbo ng istorya, para alam ko kung saan magsisimula, kung saan magtatapos,” he said.

(I watched it not because I am required to watch it. I watched it for me to know the flow of the story, so that I know where it all starts and ends.)

Zaijian Jaranilla. Image: Instagram/@zaijianjaranilla1

But the actor refrained from copying from previous performances for his portrayal of Gio, trusting in his own sense of originality. As far as his character is concerned, Jaranilla connected with the sentiment of children caught between their warring parents.

“Siguro, gusto ko lang sabihin na hindi naman nila deserve na mangyari sa kanila ‘yun. Hindi naman natin maiiwasan ‘yung ganoong mangyari sa pamilya na magkaroon ng broken family,” he said.

(Perhaps, what I want to say is that they don’t deserve these things to happen to them. We cannot avoid certain things from happening to families, that they become broken families.)

All that Jaranilla could advise kids in this situation is to be strong, and to follow their hearts, especially when made to choose which parent one must stay with.

“The Broken Marriage Vow” starts showing on Jan. 22 on iWantTFC, two days before its TV broadcast, and on Jan. 24 at 8:40 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, and TFC. JB

Sharon Cuneta would ‘love to play’ Doctor Foster in PH adaptation