Challenging ang role ni Geo Mhanna sa My Ilonggo Girl, kung saan gumaganap siya bilang isang special child na may Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“Opo, it's a hard role definitely, I've studied for my role for about the longest time, since I got the role, since I auditioned, I've studied it,” bulalas ng 14-year-old Sparkle actor sa panayam ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
Kahit na hindi pa matatas mag-Tagalog si Geo, hindi naman siya nahihirapan sa kanyang dialogue sa serye.
“Not really po, kasi I don't really have a lot of lines, and since my role is special child, I don’t really speak po.”
Ipinaliwanag naman niya na dito siya sa Pilipinas ipinanganak at nakakapagsalita naman siya ng Tagalog, pero "not fluently."
“Kasi po yung school ko dati is international school and the only language you're allowed to speak is English.”
Kasalukuyang home-schooled si Geo, aniya, "Just because I want to attend Sparkle workshops and work on myself po.
“I want to [go back to school eventually] but I also want to work on my career muna.”
GEO MHANNA ON BEING PART OF MY ILONGGO GIRL
Masuwerte si Geo na makasama agad sa isang big project tulad ng My Ilonggo Girl.
“I feel very, very happy and very intimidated, kasi prime actor sila and I feel like I really have to do my very best. Kasi I don't want to be the downfall… I don't want to be the cause of the downfall of the show,” sabi ng newbie actor.
Kahit mahirap ang role na ginagampanan ni Geo ay papuri ang natanggap niya sa mga kasamahan niya sa serye sa unang araw pa lamang ng taping.
“I feel so happy to hear that, kasi they're all so kind.”
Bilang isang newbie actor, iniidolo niya ang mga bida ng My Ilonggo Girl na sina Michael Sager at Jillian Ward, na itinuturing na prinsesa ng GMA-7.
Patungkol kay Jillian, sabi ni Geo, "She's really kind, she's one of the kindest people I've met and working with her feels like a dream."
Tinitingala rin ni Geo ang Kapuso stars na sina Marian Rivera at Alden Richards.
Hindi pa niya nakikilala sa personal si Marian, pero nagkita na sila ni Alden.
Kuwento ni Geo, “Opo, I went to Hello Love Again, the special screening, nagpa-selfie po ako.
“[Alden] was just really kind, nag-hi siya, nag-bye siya, nag-thank you.”
geo mhanna's secret to emotional scenes
Maraming eksena si Geo sa My Ilonggo Girl kung saan kailangan niyang umiyak.
Pag-amin ng aktor, hindi na siya umaarte dahil totoong umiiyak na siya habang kinukunan ang eksena.
Kuwento niya tungkol sa kanyang first taping day, “I was so scared and the whole day I've been wanting to cry, so in that one scene, I just let it all out, parang si Godzilla,” at tumawa ang cute na binatilyo.
Mahusay naman daw siyang umiyak, "because I have a lot of experience crying in real life.”
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Sinawimpalad na pumanaw ang kanyang Lebanese father noong kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemic.
Wala raw sa Pilipinas ang ama niya noong pumanaw ito, habang si Geo ay kasama ng kanyang Filipina mother na naninirahan dito sa Pilipinas.
“No, he was somewhere in the Middle East po.
“I got to see him po but when I was younger, but recently not anymore.”
Ang pagkawala ng kanyang ama ay "very, very hard, I cry every day.”
Naka-move on na raw si Geo pero nandoon pa rin ang sakit.
geo mhanna's showbiz journey
Samantala, sa Facebook na-discover si Geo ng kanyang manager na si Atty. James Christopher Domingo.
Lahad ni Geo, “'Tapos I was in ABS dati but nag-audition ako sa GMA, 'tapos I got in and I signed last year, March.”
Nag-acting workshop sa ABS-CBN si Geo, pero sa GMA-7 siya nagkaroon ng kanyang pinakaunang show.
Guwapo at may tangkad na 5-feet-11-inches, malaki ang tsansa ni Geo na maging isang matinee idol at handa naman daw siya.
“I am ready,” pakli ni Geo, “I'm the most ready that I've ever been because one year of workshops, I want to put it to the test.”
Limang taon ang kontrata ni Geo sa Sparkle GMA Artist Circle, na siyang co-manager ng kanyang career kasama si Atty. James.
Iisa ang manager nila ng child actress na si Sienna Stevens na nanalong Best Child Actress nitong Disyembre para sa Green Bones sa 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
Nais din ba ni Geo na magkaroon ng acting award balang-araw?
“Of course,” ang bulalas ng binatilyo.
Sa direksyon ni Conrado Peru, ang My Ilonggo Girl ay napapanood Mondays through Thursdays, 9:35 p.m. sa GMA Prime, at sa GMA Pinoy TV abroad.