Erika Padilla Back As A Kapuso Playing Heart Evangelista's Sister In The Hit GMA Telebabad Rom-Com 'Juan Happy Love Story'

ERIKA PADILLA started with ABS-CBN as part of Star Magic Batch 16 but she first became known as a courtside reporter for PBA on TV5. She never gave up her studies and majored in political science at the Ateneo. “But I really want to try acting so, five years ago, I did my first soap, ‘Maria del Barrio’ sa ABS,” she says. “Since then, I also did ‘Beautiful Affair’, ‘Maria Mercedes’ for ABS, and ‘Kidlat’ for TV5. Iba rin kasi ang fulfillment na ibinibigay ng acting kaysa sa hosting lang.”

She now plays Heart Evangelista’s married elder sister in the new soap, “Juan Happy Love Story”. Is this her first time with GMA-7? “No, nakasama na rin ako in ‘Kambal Sirena’ two years ago, with Louise de los Reyes, na sinundan ng ‘Lihim ni Annasandra’ with Andrea Torres. After that, bumalik ako sa ABS last year to be part of ‘Pangako Sa’Yo’ and now, GMA uli. I’m really thankful nga na nakakatawid ako nang maayos sa tatlong networks.”

About her lovelife, Erika admits she’s on with a PBA basketball coach, Fil-Am Jeffrey Cariaso, who used to be with Ginebra. Do they plan to walk down the aisle soon? “No, not yet. Enjoy pa ako sa pag-aartista so that can wait. As of now, I’m happy to be part of ‘Juan Happy Love Story’ na okay ang feedback. Di katakatakang viewers like it and enjoy watching it kasi romantic siya, but in a sexy, funny and feel good sort of way. Nakakaaliw ang mga eksena, full of fun and kilig but not offensive, kaya siguradong tututok ka talaga.”

The pilot of week of “Juan Happy Love Story” is a real winner and this week, watch out for Heart Evangelista’s disillusionment when she realizes that Dennis Trillo is a two-timing guy who’s not really The One she’s been expecting. They meet in a bar and Dennis is with scantily clad sexy girls so Heart confronts him. Broken hearted, she attends their high school reunion and meets anew her former stalker, the nerdy Joross Gamboa as Bob, who’s now a rich man after inventing the best-selling tea called TeaGasin Herbal Enhancer. But it seems Juan and Happy are fated to be together. Happy’s dad, Gardo Versoza, sees them in an uncompromising position and forces Juan to marry his daughter. Can Juan avoid this case of Pikot?