Here’s how Ashley Ortega prepared for her Muslim role on ‘Legal Wives’

It’s not easy preparing for a role. According to Ashley Ortega, she had to study and learn about the Muslim culture and its language as she prepared for the upcoming cultural drama series “Legal Wives.”

Aside from studying the script and adopting a few changes to her lifestyle such as avoiding pork, the actress said she also listened carefully to the show’s Muslim consultant on how to properly speak the language.

“Unang preparation ko is I studied the language. Medyo mahirap ’yung accent nila and maselan ... Sakto dapat pagsabi, diction. ’Yun talaga, tinutukan naming lahat,” the actress said during an interview on Friday.

“Siguro for one whole day ’yun lang pinapakinggan ko, ’yung diction talaga. Kailangan maayos ’yung pronunciation since there’s a possibility na ma-offend naming ’yung Muslim community. Kinulong ko lang sarili ko, inaral ko lang, paulit-ulit ko lang sinasabi,” she added.

Ashley also said that she would constantly ask their consultant about Muslims’ culture and way of life to be able to properly portray her role and also to learn more about them.

Although not much can be revealed about her character, Ashley shared that she would be playing a rebellious Muslim woman from Marawi.

“Legal Wives,” also starring Dennis Trillo, Alice Dixson, Bianca Umali, Andrea Torres and Cherie Gil, will revolve around a Muslim Maranao royalty who married not one, but three women. – RC, GMA News