By ABS-CBNnews.com and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Singer-actor Ariel Rivera admitted that his role in ABS-CBN’s upcoming series “Ina Kapatid Anak” is proving to be a big challenge for him.

That’s because Rivera was given the role of Julio, the husband of Beatrice, played by his real-life sister-in-law Janice de Belen in the upcoming series.

“Personally for me, being the husband of Janice, on that level it’s difficult,” Rivera told ABS-CBNnews.com on Tuesday after the press conference for the series, which debuts on Monday, October 8.

Rivera also revealed that his wife, Gelli de Belen, was surprised to hear that her husband will be doing the role opposite her sister.

“Nagtaka din siya, pare-pareho kami. ‘Sigurado ka, ikaw?’ (she asked me.) But I said it’s a great challenge for me and even more because I admire Janice. When I see how she perfects her craft and how she goes above her work, nakita ko ‘yung kagalingan niya talaga,” he said.

For her part, de Belen said her sister sees nothing wrong with their roles.

“Tumawa, ‘yun lang naman. Wala namang problema ‘yon kay Geli,” she said.

“Hindi naman kasi leading man, hindi na naman kami mga bagets. Co-star. Alam mo na nakikita ko siya off-cam and I know he is a good actor and he really is a good actor,” de Beleon said of her brother-in-law.