The right choice for Kris

Only a few showbiz love teams manage to sustain a successful tandem on television and movies for several years. But Kapuso Royal Couple of Drama Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica have been at it since 2007 — the year they broke into showbiz via the reality talent show StarStruck. From playing support roles in shows such as Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan and Luna Mystica, Kris and Aljur were launched as lead stars in the 2009 Sine Novela Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?.

The show was a hit and was one of the programs that confirmed that there is a market for local soap operas in the afternoon. It also further established the love team now known as AlKris.

Four years after their first show as lead stars, Kris has reunited with Aljur in Prinsesa Ng Buhay Ko. The 24-year-old actress is aware she’s lucky that her partnership with her perennial onscreen partner remains successful. But like anything, its success comes with hard work.

“Natatakot din ako kasi pwede sila magsawa sa dami ng dumarating. Pero para ma-maintain mo yung status mo sa industry, kailangan lagi kang maghanap ng room for improvement. Dapat laging may bago,” Kris said.

This is an expected answer for the Kapuso actress, who admits she has always wanted to be in showbiz since she was a kid. Kris revealed that she attended acting workshops as early as seven years old. It’s a passion she brought with her later in life. “Lahat ng club ko, from elementary to college, theater arts,” she said.

Kris was supposed to star in Gil Portes’ independent film Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle. It was a project that would have shown her in a different light — daring, edgy and mature. But the wholesome Kapuso star is positive that Prinsesa Ng Buhay Ko — the project that came to her after the said film didn’t push through for her — is something she would treasure as an artist.

“Binabase ko na lang kay Lord, e. Feeling ko, kaya hindi niya binigay sa akin yung project dahil hindi pa siguro para sa akin yun. Hindi pa itong panahong ito. Kaya feeling ko, napunta sa akin yung Prinsesa ng Buhay Ko dahil mas aangat ako dito, mas mapapansin ako dito,” she said.

Here are some of the other treasures of Kris’ life:

Most treasured person: Kris is a natural mommy’s girl as her mother has always been there for her every step of her showbiz journey. Her parents separated when she was young, so Kris knows the hardships of her mother as a single parent.

In her own little way, Kris makes her mother feel special every single day. “I don’t get to see her every day anymore, but I make sure when I come home I have a pasalubong for her or I give her a kiss at least.  Or pag may sobrang time, bago ako umalis ng bahay I prepare breakfast for them,” she said.

Most treasured thing: The Prinsesa Ng Buhay Ko star considers a jewelry set she received from her father when she was young as her life’s most treasured thing.

“Batang-bata pa ako nung binigay niya sa akin yun. I was about seven years old. Ngayon kasi di ko na siya nakikita dahil separated sila ng mom ko. So hanggang ngayon nasa akin pa rin,” Kris explained.

Most treasured place: Kris and her family (the actress has four siblings) don’t get to go out often because of the Kapuso star’s busy schedule. But she managed to take her family to a one-month European tour early this year.

Perhaps the most memorable part of that tour was their stop in Rome — when they saw Pope Francis at the St. Peter’s Basilica. “So lahat kami present and nakapag-pray kami. Blessing na nakita namin yung Pope,” she said.

Most treasured advice: Not surprisingly, Kris takes to heart a piece of advice given by her mother when she was still starting out in showbiz. The advice? “Be humble.”

“Pinapaalala niya yun sa akin lagi. Syempre, may mga times na sa pagod, umiinit ulo ko, nagiging sensitive ako. Pero ni-re-remind niya ako na, ‘O, gusto ko yang trabaho na yan’,” she shared.

Most treasured moment: Kris’ life literally changed when she was named one part of the Ultimate Love Team in the fourth season of StarStruck. While she didn’t win the Ultimate Female Survivor title (Aljur was the show’s male ultimate winner), Kris is arguably one of the more successful StarStruck alumni in the show’s five-year history.

“There were so many of us. From thousands of contestants, I was the one who won. Weird,” Kris shared. “Hindi naman ako magaling sa lahat ng bagay. Hindi ako magaling sumayaw, hindi ako magaling kumanta, hindi ako pinakamagaling umarte sa lahat. Kaya feeling ko, gift sa akin yun ni Lord at ni Mama Mary.”

Most treasured Kapuso moment: The Kapuso actress was emotional when she was launched as the lead actress in Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?. The show remains special for Kris amid the dozens of projects she’s done.

“Umiyak talaga ako dun. Press con umiiyak ako. Hindi ko akalain. Ganun ka big deal na bigyan ako ng lead role. Very thankful ako. Blessing siya sa akin,” she said.

Most treasured role: For Kris, her role in the dance-serye Time of My Life is, so far, her most challenging. But her career’s most treasured role was the one she did for the remake of the Korean soap opera Coffee Prince.

“Hindi ko ini-expect na makakagawa ako ng role na ang character ay isang lalaki. Yung Coffee Prince kasi, sinubaybayan ko yan, di pa ako artista nun. Fan talaga ako,” she said.

Why she remains a loyal Kapuso: “Iba yung alaga nila sa akin. Pakiramdam ko prinsesa ako. I’m not saying prinsesa ako, pero the way na inaalagaan nila ako, feel ko na importante ako,” Kris shared on how GMA 7 has been treating her. “Saka mahusay sila magpalaki ng artista, marunong sila mag-alaga kaya loyal akong Kapuso.”