Kim Chiu: Still her girly self

MANILA, Philippines - She is every inch a woman  and every move a man. Viewers are definitely not seeing double. Kim Chiu simply portrays a dual role reminiscent of that Disney character with a mission to lead warriors in a battle on ABS-CBN’s My Binondo Girl airing weeknights after 100 Days to Heaven.

With that, Kim has made a fearless comeback on primetime. However, she remains her giggly and girly self off cam.

“I look like them,” recalls the now svelte stunner Kim of her My Binondo Girl taping days in Hong Kong. “You know I’m somewhat Korean and Chinese looking. I went to a bazaar near the location as my male character Yuan and girls were staring at me. They thought that I was a real young man. I tried to be as gentleman as I could every time I looked back at them. There was another instance wherein I was in my daily outfit. I just wore my hair down but with my mustache on. It was lunch break and was checking out some items in the bazaar. There were Arab vendors in the area who found my looks weird. One was staring at me for a long time. He approached me because maybe he couldn’t stand yung kapal ng bigote ko. Susunugin niya. I shouted at him and I ran away from him.”

As everybody knows, Kim is both Jade and Yuan in the latest Kapamilya drama-comedy. Jade longs for her dad’s affection because she grew up without a father beside her. She has a brother named Yuan but he died very young. Jade meets her dad (played by Richard Yap) but the latter wants Yuan. Chinese families are known for their preference for sons over daughters. This prompts Jade to change her identity. The only constant in Jade’s life is her doting mom Zheny (Ai-Ai delas Alas).

“I have struggles being Yuan,” says Kim. “I never thought of playing such role. I wear men’s clothes like suits and I strap my chest. It’s my first time to portray a man. I have to slouch, to be in a pensive look, to put my hand in my pockets and modulate my voice. (But) the actors and the people I work with have been supportive and been helping me out. I feel blessed.”

That’s why Kim enjoys the costume and makeup changes and survives the long shooting hours. Besides, she gets the attention of three good-looking leading men Matteo Guidicelli, Xian Lim and Jolo Revilla.

“Matteo is funny and Visayan,” shares Kim. “So, we do understand each other. We joke around in our dialect. Xian has a nice body but has a huge appetite. But he shares his food with everyone. Jolo is known for his generosity. We would have siomai and Starbucks coffee on the set. What about the two other boys? Chika din lang nang chika. We talk a lot and I enjoy the conversation. Matteo wakes us up early in the morning.”

Asked to name three female celebrities she would woo if she were a man, Kim replies, “Angel Aquino, Marian Rivera and Iza Calzado.” She also admits that she admires women for their beauty. For her would-be husband, Kim can also marry a non-Chinese guy since her family doesn’t practise Chinese marriage traditions. What matters to Kim is he loves her truthfully.

Again, Kim is definitely as girly as Barbie waiting for Ken.