At times, it takes an interesting character to catapult an actor to breakout status, and Mercedes Cabral has found that character in the hit action-drama series "FPJ’s Batang Quiapo." Playing a mistress with a magnetic screen presence, Mercedes has captured the audience's attention and become a viral sensation. 

Although she's no newcomer—having had films screened globally and a repertoire of kontrabida roles—it's her current portrayal as Lena that has truly made her a mainstream hit. Her nuanced performance has everyone talking. 

Sometimes it takes a bit of complexity and depth to truly shine in the spotlight. Even Mercedes herself didn't expect Lena to have such a strong impact on viewers. While she anticipated some backlash for playing a mistress, she never imagined the intensity of reactions her character would provoke.

"Iniisipan ko rin kung ano ‘yung pwede kong gawin for the character of Lena para maasar ‘yung mga tao," Mercedes shared. "May mga ginagawa ako, mga nuances na maliliit, ‘yung mgatingin. Ginagawa ko siya ‘pag rehearsals and then tatanuninginko sa director kung okay lang ba ‘yun.”

Speaking of nuances, one of the trending aspects about Lena is the way she flirtatiously calls Rigor (John Estrada) in the series. Mercedes laughed when asked about it, because she never intended for her voice to sound that 'pabebe.' She naturally pronounces the 'r' sound softly in real life, and it just so happened to suit her character perfectly.

Gratitude, amusement, and joy were palpable on Mercedes' face when she mentioned seeing social media users creating memes and content about Lena. She even remembers the names of these TikTok and Instagram users and amusedly shared the kind of content they make about her.

"Nagugulat ako kasi sinabi sa akin ng dad ko, 'Anak, sikat nasikat ka na kasi nakikita na kita kahit saan, sa Facebook, sa Tiktok.'"

Mercedes has played kontrabida roles in the past, the latest being the wicked stepmom to Francine Diaz and Andrea Brillantes in the inspirational drama "Huwag Kang Mangamba." But what makes ‘Lena’ surprising is how she became such a hit.

With that, Mercedes credits her directors and co-actors, including the equally 'hated' John Estrada, who help her flesh out Lena’s character and suggest how to play the role. She and Cherry Pie Picache may be rivals on screen, but behind the cameras, Cherry Pie is one of her biggest mentors, especially at the beginning when she was still finding her footing in the series. Cherry Pie provides input not to interfere but to help her.

"I’m lucky to be working with these kinds of actors kasi sobrang giving sila, hindi madamot. Kasi may mga actors na iniisip lang kung ano ‘yung para sa kanila. Pero [my co-actors], they’re very helpful.” Mercedes appreciates collaborating with such generous co-stars who are more focused on the overall performance rather than just their parts.

For those who don’t know, Mercedes isn’t a newcomer to the industry. She began her career as an indie actress and has had films screened globally, some even alongside Coco Martin. However, her role in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” is her longest mainstream project to date.

It feels like destiny working for her, as before being cast as Lena, she personally approached Coco to ask for a job. "Grateful talaga ako kay Direk Coco Martin. Kasi naalala ko wala na akong teleserye noon, tapos minessage ko talaga siya, sabi ko, ‘Direk Coco, kapag meron kang bagong project, please, sana ma-include ako kahit kaunting role lang,’” Mercedes shared. And Coco’s response at that time was, “Chedeng, buti na lang minessage mo ako, may bago akong gagawin.” And that new project turned out to be “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.”

"Sobrang grateful ako kasi hindi nakakalimot si Direk Coco talaga,” she expressed. “And because of ‘Batang Quiapo,’ mas nakilala ako sa mainstream. Mas nare-recognize na ako ngayon.” So, whether you call her the ‘pambansang jumper’ or feel however you want about her character, Mercedes takes it all as a compliment, as badges of honor that mean she’s doing her job with excellence.

Of course, before the interview with MJ Felipe on “On Cue” wrapped up, Mercedes couldn't resist delivering a sample of her famous ‘pabebe’ dialogue: “Rigor, huwag mong kakalimutan‘yung liempo.” Such memorable lines and scenes have become synonymous with her, which only means Mercedes has ascended to a whole new level of stardom.

In recent episodes of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” Lena finds herself needing to double her efforts as Rigor gradually faces the reality that having her as a mistress might be a huge mistake. Despite this, Lena remains determined to stay in Rigor’s life—and in his house.

Catch the thrilling scenes unfold in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” airing weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5, and A2Z.