‘KatNiel’ embarks on a laugh trip

MANILA, Philippines -  Having been confined to mostly doing soap operas, how will Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla fare in comedy? Can they also be effective as they are in drama?

Kathryn and Daniel, also known as the young love team “KatNiel,” admit feeling the butterflies in their stomach when playing their respective roles in Sisterakas, the Star Cinema-Viva Films comedy movie entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival that topbills Kris Aquino, Ai-Ai delas Alas and Vice Ganda. Both say that the pressure of acting alongside big names in comedy is so great that they have to take to heart each and every detail director Wenn Deramas is giving them.

“For a change, I’m doing comedy for the first time,” begins Kathryn. “At first, I really felt nervous but later on I got excited having realized how lucky we are to have this chance to work with Vice, Tita Ai-Ai and Ate Kris. So I gave my 100 percent in every scene.”

Good thing, Kathryn adds, not one of the three top stars showed any sign during shooting days “that we must feel pressured or something, it’s direk Wenn who explained to us our roles and how to attack them.”

Kathryn, too, tells she shares similarities with her character. “It somehow lightens the burden because my character is also protective of her family. I’m like that in real life, I will do everything to show them my love and to take good care of them.”

“As for me, it’s been my dream to do comedy so when the role was offered to me, I really got excited. ‘Yung kaba s’yempre andun considering the big names that I’ll be working with yet I’d also like to show my real side, trip ko talaga ang magpatawa,” Daniel says.

Besides, Daniel describes his mom Karla Estrada and dad Rommel Padilla as the “‘laugh trip’ kind so I’m used to hearing a lot of jokes and funny remarks. I, myself, is the type na napaka-light lang, very different from my (dramatic) character on TV.  That’s why, I’d like to see how people will react to my comedy acting. One more thing, my Tito Robin, although he is known as an action star, is also capable of making people laugh.”

But it doesn’t mean Daniel need not prepare for his role. “The more I need to be on my toes because my role requires me to act alongside not only with Kathryn but also with Vice, parang erpats (slang for father) ko s’ya dito.

Sisterakas focuses mainly on the lives of the characters of Kris, Vice and Ai-Ai. According to the press release, Vice portrays the role of Bernice, a successful “lord of the apparels industry ” and business leader of the Ponytale Company who is determined to bring all her opponents down, including her hardworking half-sister Detty (Ai-Ai) whose family refused to help Bernice’s family when they were poor, and Roselle (Kris), the equally brilliant and talented yet eccentric business archnemesis.

Kris says, they exerted much effort to give moviegoers a good laugh. Sisterakas is her first time to team up with her reel and real friends Ai-Ai and Vice in a movie.

Meanwhile, asked to comment about the possibility of Nora Aunor clinching the filmfest’s Best Actress trophy this year, Ai-Ai says, “There’s nothing to argue about it, kung talagang pang acting ‘yung kanya eh kay Ate Guy na lang po kasi ‘yung akin di naman talaga pang aktingan although I will still give my best. If the award is for Ate Guy, then it’s fine with me. I just hope our movie will be a hit, na maraming kitain ‘yung movie namin.”

Kris, too, hopes it will make good money because not everyone knows that 25 percent of the production budget came from the three of them. “It’s 50 percent from Star Cinema, 25 percent from Viva and 25 percent from the three of us (Ai-Ai, Vice and herself).”

Kathryn and Daniel, on the other hand, are positive that their portrayal will also tickle the moviegoers’ funny bones.

“I learned to just go with the flow, parang wag mo planuhin yung gagawin mo, di dapat scripted, mas natural, mas nakakatawa,” says Kathryn about doing comedy.

As the other half of “KatNiel,” is Daniel seriously bent on pursuing Kathryn?

“We’re not in a rush to have a serious relationship. There is a right time for that. As of now we’re enjoying our friendship,” replies Daniel, to which Kathryn agrees, “Our love team clicks so we need to focus on our work first.”

And since Christmas is nearing, Kathryn has two wishes: For her career to turn rosier in 2013 and to have good health. Daniel, on the other hand, says, “I hope magtuloy-tuloy na ang magandang career, wag lumagapak. I’m helping my mom in taking care of my siblings.”

Opening on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Sisterakas also stars Tirso Cruz III, Gloria Diaz, DJ Durano and Xyriel Manabat.