KYLIE PADILLA, after her failed marriage to Aljur Abrenica, is now making a teleserye comeback in “Bolera”. She plays Joni, a simple girl who starts playing with marbles as a child and becomes an ace billiards player when she grows up.
“When the role was offered to me, kinabahan ako kasi wala talaga akong alam about billiards,” she says.
“But they told me they will train me at noong naglalaro na ako, I really fell in love with the game. Lalo na nasa locked in set kami in Clark, Pampanga. So maraming oras para mag-practice at yun ang ginawa namin ng mga kasamahan ko sa cast, pati sa crew, naglaro kami ng billiards.”
One challenge to her is that her character is left-handed.
“Yes, nahirapan ako in projecting na marunong talaga ako and a professional player, kasi kaliwete si Joni and I’m really right handed.
"I had to really train using my left hand and my coaches helped me a lot. I told myself, kaya natin ito.
"And as the taping goes on, na-relaxed ako and just enjoyed so much what we were doing.”
Does she think that “Bolera” is the perfect comeback vehicle for her?
“Yes, I’m so proud of this show. I love it that may element of woman empowerment kasi billiards is associated with men, but Joni is isang babaeng may pinaglalaban dahil sa family niya, specially for her dad who’s wrongly accused of something he didn’t do.”
“Bolera” is a very special project for her. Does she feel any pressure on how viewers like it?
“No pressure, kasi alam ko maganda yung show namin. Sobrang minahal ko lahat dito and naiiyak ako when I was watching the trailer.
"I’m so confident the audience will like ‘Bolera’ kasi I committed myself totally to the role. I even sang the theme song myself, ‘Ang Bolera’. I’m so thankful to the Lord and to GMA for this project kasi there was a time I thought hindi na ako makakabalik.”
She has two leading men in “Bolera”, Rayver Cruz as Miguel, a billiard champ and Jak Roberto as Toypits, her best friend turned manager who’s secretly in love with her. So how is it working with them?
“They’re both good in playing the game at tinulungan din nila ako,” she adds.
“We’re all so blessed to work with each other. Lahat kami sa set, nag-jive talaga. Rayver and I did a horror movie before sa Regal, so kilala ko na siya. Si Jak ang ngayon ko lang nakatrabaho.
"Noong una, may tension, kasi feeling daw niya aloof ako at too serious. So nahiya rin ako sa kanya, but since magkasama kami araw-araw, na-relax din kami sa isa’t isa, nawala yung tension.”
How about working with Jaclyn Jose?
“This is my third show with Tita Jane after ‘The Cure’ and ‘Ilustrado’. I really love watching her act as I learn so much and tinulungan din niya ako talaga sa mga eksena ko. Dito kami nag-bonding nang husto kasi two months kaming magkasama sa lock in.
"I missed my two sons habang nasa lock in taping ako, but I developed a new family sa set with my co-stars and the staff.”
Is she open to having a new love life?
“As of now, hindi ko siya iniisip. Kasi priority ko muna ang mga anak ko, tapos ang career ko kasi kababalik ko pa lang. Kung sinuman siya, dapat matanggap niya muna lahat ng yon.”
Her trainers and game consultants include real life billiards expert Johann Chua and Geona Gregorio, who just won gold medals in the recently concluded SEA Games. Billiards champ Efren “Bata” Reyes also came to help her.
Supporting Kylie in the cast are Jaclyn Jose as her mom who’s against her playing billiards, Al Tantay as her dad who’s a former billiard champ, Joey Marquez as her mentor who has a dark secret, Gardo Versoza as billiards champ Kubrador, Via Veloso, Sue Pardo, Dion Ignacio, Gie Villamil, and David Remo, directed by Dominic Zapata and Jorron Lee Monroy.
This will start airing on GMA Telebabad this Monday, May 30, replacing the short-lived “False Positive”.