By Len Armea
For more than two decades, the Legaspi family, composed of Zoren Legaspi, Carmina Villarroel, and their twins Mavy and Cassy, has been one of the most beloved families in Philippine showbiz. From television commercials and endorsement deals to pursuing their individual acting careers, audiences have watched them grow and evolve through the years.
After years of turning down family projects on the small screen, Team Legaspi is finally starring together in their first-ever drama series, “Hating Kapatid.”
Many assumed the family had always dreamed of working together in a series, but according to Zoren, that was not the case. In fact, when the show was offered to them in 2024, Carmina and the twins were hesitant to take on the project.
“To be honest, when the initial offer came, the three of them didn’t want to do it,” he shared with a laugh during the media conference for the series. “I was the only one who was okay with it because I said, if we do it right, there’s nothing to be afraid of. What I was really thinking about was the opportunity to work together, and that might never happen again.”
What changed their minds? The story.
“When we read the story, we fell in love with it. I think this is the right project for the Legaspi family,” Carmina said. I’m very hopeful because we really have a nice story, a beautiful project, and I just hope that the viewers will love it.”
“I expected that if we were ever to work together as a family, it would be in a sitcom. But this turned out to be a much bigger blessing,” Cassy added.
The Heart of ‘Hating Kapatid’
In the series, Carmina plays Roselle, a woman secretly in love with her childhood best friend Cris, played by Zoren. But Cris ends up marrying another woman, and after a moment of weakness, Roselle becomes pregnant with twins.
Cris secretly takes their baby girl, Belle (played by Cassy), and raises her away from Roselle. A month later, Roselle unexpectedly delivers their son, Tyrone (played by Mavy), unaware that he has a twin sister. Years later, fate brings Belle and Tyrone together, still unaware they are siblings.
“Hating Kapatid” promises a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. For Mavy, the series carries a deeper meaning, showing that love exists in families even in a world that can be chaotic and cruel.
“This is our love letter to everyone watching. We love our work, and we want to send love to the world because the world needs more of that today. We’ve always been about love since day one, so I am very, very proud of this project,” Mavy said.
Joining the Legaspis in the series are Valerie Concepcion, Bobby Andrews, Leandro Baldemor, Mercedes Cabral, Vince Maristela, Cheska Fausto, and Haley Dizon.
Read the full article in the October 2025 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal, out now in Japan.
(Photos courtesy of GMA)
