Having worked together on several projects before, Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin likened their journey in “Sins of the Father” to a rollercoaster ride that has challenged them and deepened their craft in ways they didn’t expect. Looking back on how far they’ve come, they can see a clear difference between their past performances and how they approach their roles now, saying they've grown both in skill and confidence.
Of course, just like any new challenge, Francine and Seth admit that being part of the series came with jitters. They compare the feeling to students moving up to a higher level, excited but also a little scared, unsure of what awaits in the next classroom. Everything felt new to them, from the production team to working for the first time with directors FM Reyes and Bjoy Balagtas.
If the set were their classroom, then the directors and their veteran co-actors served as their teachers. “Thankful kami na nakakasalubong kami ng mga tao, ng mga directors na nakakadagdag sa knowledge namin,” shared Seth, adding they’re more than willing to pass those lessons on to younger artists someday.
Francine recalled feeling nervous on her very first day since she was called in to shoot ahead of Seth, who then started filming a week later. Seth likewise admitted, “Sobra akong nahirapan in terms of maturing sa loob at labas ng kamera dahil magkaiba ’yun. Kailangan trabahuhin mo ’yun.”
And part of that growing-up process is realizing that acting is also about using the craft as a form of art and awareness. “Hindi lang siya basta na ‘pag sinabing umarte ka, aarte ka,” Francine mused. “Meron ka laging ikinukuwentong istorya ng buhay ng tao. Hindi dahil artista ka lang at trabaho mo lang ’to. Meron ka laging ipinapaalala at meron ka laging hope na ibinibigay sa manonood.”
Seth agreed, adding that "Sins of the Father" mirrors realities that ordinary Filipinos live through. Its central theme about “scams” and the ripple effects of deceit isn’t too far from what happens in real life. Thus, they feel accountable in portraying the pain, the betrayal, and the consequences in a way that resonates with people who’ve experienced the same.
As time went on, Francine and Seth learned to carry scenes with more precision, specifically how to sustain emotional continuity, when to hold back and when to let go. One example was the dinner scene between Arissa (Francine) and Roldan (Joko Diaz), in front of Enzo (Seth), where Arissa had to subtly hint that she knew the terrible things Roldan did to her family, while still protecting her friend Enzo, the son of the man she despised. “Ang hirap no’n,” Francine recalled. “No’ng time na ’yon, ang assignment ko, nagagalit ako kay Roldan, at the same time pinoprotektahan ko si Enzo… Hindi lang siya taray. Hindi lang siya pagpaparinig. May bigat siya.”
Scenes like that require total collaboration. The actors and directors work closely to ensure the emotions stay consistent, the intent clear, thus FranSeth is thankful to have directors who are always there to guide them. When an actor falls short, it’s the audience will notice, but their directors never let that happen.
The most intense scenes they’ve filmed so far was the death of Rainier Cruz, played by River Joseph, who sacrificed his life to save Arissa from a group of hitmen while on his mission to find his missing sister, a victim of a large-scale scam.
Speaking about that pivotal moment, Francine admitted it was the most emotionally demanding scene she has ever done. “Ang hirap niyang dalhin. Ang hirap niyang bitawan kasi it stays. Ang bigat-bigat niya sa pakiramdam,” she shared. The sequence was crucial to the story as it involved a piece of evidence tied to their mission to uncover the truth, plus the stunts and action-packed setup made it more intense.
Just as River mentioned in another episode of Kapamilya Chat, both he and Francine decided not to use stunt doubles for the sequence, which required full physical commitment. They sustained bruises and scratches from the scene, yet they pushed through it all in the name of authenticity.
“Kasi kung hindi ko mararanasan ’yung pain ng character, ’yung hirap at struggle niya, paano ko siya ide-deliver?” Francine said. “Dapat nanggagaling siya sa loob. Nakalmot ko ’yung mukha ko, ang dami kong pasa na pagkagising ko, hindi ako makagalaw.”
In that particular scene, Enzo was holding Arissa back and trying to keep her from making any noise so they wouldn’t be caught by the goons. Francine recalled that she only released all her pent-up emotions after the director yelled “cut” and was catching her breath by the end of take. "Ito 'yung masasabi ko na ang bigat niya to the point na bitbit ko siya pag-uwi ko, paggising ko," Francine admitted she struggled to let go of Arissa, especially since she was juggling the series with another project. “Hanggang ngayon, sine-shake off ko pa rin siya. Nafe-feel ko pa rin ’yong bigat ng araw na ’yon.”
Maybe it’s the Arissa effect. There are days when she finds herself zoning out, still caught between her character’s pain and thoughts. "Ang hirap," she opened up. "I just have to be there para maintindihan ko kung paano ko ba itatawid 'yung sarili ko kasi, siyempre, iba naman 'yung sarili ko, iba naman 'yung problema [ng characters] sa problema ko. Kaya, sorry po, tatahimik na lang talaga ako."
But if she’s all calm and quiet, Seth is the total opposite. He's the type to never run out of energy to talk and joke around with everyone even after back-to-back shoots. His secret is making sure to steal quick naps whenever he can, whether inside the car or while waiting on set, because, as he put it, part of professionalism is taking care of your health. “Bawal kami magkasakit. Kasi ’pag nagkasakit kami, domino effect ’yon," he thought. "Kung pagod, magpahinga. Huwag dedmahin ang katawan kasi aanihin natin 'yan pagtanda."
FranSeth's "Sins of the Father" characters are ready to go all out when it comes to protecting the people they love. When asked if they’d do the same as Arissa and Enzo in real life, Francine replied yes, standing for what’s right will always matter. “Kasi kung papanig ka sa mali, ano ang mas pinagkaiba mo sa kanila?” she pointed out.
Seth, on the other hand, hopes viewers see more than the scam plot when watching their show. For him, Enzo’s story also speaks about the longing of a son for his father’s love. If he were Enzo in real life, he’d still side with what’s right, but he’d make sure to fix Enzo and his father's lack of communication. In the series, Enzo spends most of his time questioning his dad’s shady dealings yet never gets real answers. Seth teased that viewers must watch out for the reason behind Roldan’s secrecy. “Sa buhay natin, kahit sabihin mong may tinago ang isang tao, bakit niya tinago? The moment na tinago niya 'yon, tinanggap na niya ang consequence,” he shared, leaving everyone intrigued.
Asked about what they don’t exactly vibe with in their roles, Francine pressed Arissa’s tendency to take on too much thinking she can save everyone without asking for help, "Nando'n na 'yong tulong pero dine-decline niya kasi she thinks na, 'I can do this on my own.'" Seth, on the other hand, shared that Enzo’s biggest weakness is his emotional restraint. He wants to uncover the truth, but his love for his father holds him back every time.
Join Francine and Seth as they uncover the truths in "Sins of the Father," airing on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5 and iWant, weeknights. The series is topbilled by Gerald Anderson and also stars Jessy Mendiola, RK Bagatsing, Shaina Magdayao, JC De Vera, and Tirso Cruz III.