Yasmien Kurdi has started taping for GMA-7’s new afternoon series, Womb for Hire.
She posted on her Instagram account (@yasmien_kurdi) a picture of their first taping day last May 19.
The Filipino teleserye reunites her with Starstruck Season One batchmates Mark Herras and Katrina Halili.
It was also seen in the picture that seasoned actress Nova Villa, Bettina Carlos, and Benjamin Alves are part of the upcoming teleserye.
Yasmien and Katrina first announced their upcoming reunion during the story conference of the series.
According to a report by 24 Oras last May 17, Yasmien will play the role of a surrogate mother in the series.
In the actress's Instagram account, she revealed that the name of her character is Ysabel Salvacion.
This will be the third Filipino TV show that will depict surrogacy.
The first was in GMA’s 2011 series Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit starring Carla Abellana and Michelle Madrigal.
The second was ABS-CBN’s 2012 teleserye Ina Kapatid Anak, with Maja Salvador and Kim Chiu as the lead actresses.
Both drama shows depicted in vitro fertilization or gestational surrogacy.
It has yet to be revealed though if Womb for Hire will tackle gestational or traditional surrogacy.
According to Wikipedia, traditional surrogacy happens when "the surrogate is impregnated naturally or artificially, but the resulting child is genetically related to the surrogate."
Yasmien excitedly told 24 Oras that she is already looking forward to her scenes with Katrina that will involve face-slapping and hair-pulling.
“Si Katrina yung medyo matagal ko nang hindi nakatrabaho. Ine-expect ko na actually ang mga sampal niya at sabunot niya.”
Meanwhile, Katrina, who last appeared as a kontrabida in Destiny Rose, revealed that she will make Yasmien’s life miserable in the series. “First time ko pa lang siyang gugulpihin.
“Nagbabasa kasi ako ng script kanina, sabi ko, ‘Ano ba ito, kawawa naman si Yasmien, puro sampal. At hindi gumaganti!” she ended with a laugh.
The Filipino teleserye, which has a tentative airing date of June 27, is directed by Gil Tejada, Jr., whose last series was the 2015 afternoon drama Buena Familia.
He also directed Yasmien in her teleseryes Bakekang and Pati Ba Pintig Ang Puso?, which made the actress a household name in GMA dramas.