Growing up on Pinoy teleseryes, many of us, if not all, are familiar with the trope of an heiress losing her inheritance and falling into rough times before finding her happily ever after. The television series Princess Sarah, both the animated version and the live-action starring Camille Prats, are still well-known despite it already being years since its initial release.
This 2022, GMA adds a “little” twist to the usual plot as Jo Berry takes on her biggest role as the main protagonist in Little Princess.
Jo plays the role of Princess M. Montivano, a little person who has big shoes to fill. She, like the actress playing her, is born with dwarfism, a genetic or medical condition that causes individuals to only grow up to four feet and 10 inches in height.
Since dwarfism or achondroplasia only affects about 1 in 15,000 to 1 in 40,000 people, the public maintains a negative view of the condition, a stigma that the new series aims to tackle and address.
Princess grew up in poverty but one day discovers that she’s an heiress to a thriving company. Her biological father will later find her and put her in her rightful place.
While most fairytales end there, Princess’ story has just begun. Due to her petite nature, she’s on the receiving end of prejudice from those around her. Little Princess sheds some light on the struggles that people like Princess have to face from society, regardless of their socio-economic standing.
The series also marks Jo Berry’s return to television. According to the Kapuso actress, her role in Little Princess is another opportunity for her to inspire others by portraying a character that defies several odds in today’s world.
Jo starred in other GMA series such as Onanay (2018) and The Gift (2019). She shares that both roles have given her the chance to set a positive for viewers everywhere.
Although Jo sees her new role as a way to empower others, she admitted that she also drew inspiration from the character of Princess. In the previous year, Jo faced a challenging part of her life with the loss of her grandfather, father, and sibling.
She shared that during the lock-in taping for GMA’s new series, playing the role of Princess is what kept her occupied from the ordeal. But most importantly, it allowed Jo to channel her emotions and learn new lessons that helped her move forward in life.
One particular lesson that stuck with Jo is the idea that every challenge that comes our way is because it’s something that we can handle. She also believes that these obstacles will lead us to a bigger purpose in life.
Jo, as Princess, will give viewers a glimpse of her inner boss and how to deal with the prejudice of society agreeably.
Little Princess is directed by L.A. Madridejos and also stars Juancho Triviño, Rodjun Cruz, Angelika dela Cruz, Jestoni Alarcon, Geneva Cruz, Jenine Desiderio, Gabrielle Hahn, Therese Malvar, Tess Antonio, and Sherilyn Reyes-Tan.
The series airs on GMA’s Afternoon Prime, replacing Stories from the Heart.
