Albert Martinez does not deny the fact that he wants his children to enter show business, just like their dad. And unlike other celebrity parents who turn their kids away from showbiz, the actor says he has even been trying to convince his son Alfonso to give it a try.
"But unfortunately, ayaw talaga. Kung ako lang talaga ang masusunod, gusto kong pumasok sila dito. Pero walang may hilig e," Albert says at the press conference of Pedro Penduko, the weekly fantasy series of ABS-CBN.
Alfonso is taking up an engineering course in the United States, but is currently on vacation here in the Philippines. Albert's other children with wife Liezl Sumilang are Alyanna and Alissa.
"Kahit modeling, ayaw e. Ayoko namang pilitin. But I'm happy that they are doing good sa schooling nila. Hindi yata ako magkakaroon ng angkan sa showbiz," the actor says in jest.
Albert will be seen in two shows of the Kapamilya network—Pedro Penduko and Maria Flordeluna. In Pedro Penduko, Albert portrays the father of Matt Evans (Pedro Penduko).
During the press conference of the ABS-CBN fantasy series, Albert is teased by the showbiz press and is asked to sit next to former loveteam and ex-girlfriend Snooky Serna, who is also in the Pedro Penduko cast. The actor keeps smiling but does not give in to the teasing. Albert explains that he and Snooky are not paired in the series and that they hardly have scenes together.
In Maria Flordeluna, a drama series, Albert will play Col. Leo Alicante, a character popularized by the late Dindo Fernando in the '80s program Flordeluna. Ironically, Albert was part of Annaliza (starring the late Julie Vega), the soap opera that was the rival of Flordeluna, where Janice de Belen started her acting career. But Albert admits today that he also watched Flordeluna.
"Mas mabilis ang pacing namin dito [Maria Flodeluna], unlike before [sa Flordeluna]. I can still remember na inabot ng one week yung paghahanap lang nila kung sino ang gagawing Reyna Elena. Alam mo yung eksenang mula sa paglabas ng pinto hanggang sa pagbaba ng hagdan, kinukunan ng kamera. Dito, you can't afford to miss an episode. Mabilis talaga. And this is an entirely different story from before," says Albert.
He continues, "Medyo mahirap din para sa akin kasi from Pedro, na may fantasy at action, shift naman akong bigla sa drama dito sa Maria Flordeluna. Pero ang talagang nakakabilib dito, yung mga bata. Ang gagaling nilang umarte. Parang matatagal na silang artista," says Albert.
He is referring to Eliza Pineda (Maria Flordeluna) and Nash Aguas (Rene Boy). Nash is the boy who won the best child actor award in last December's Metro Manila Film Festival for his role in "Yaya," an episode in Shake, Rattle and Roll 8.
The new episodes of Pedro Penduko begin this February. Maria Flordeluna has not announced its airing date.