KathNiel: Take 3

 The current fad of abbreviating the names of a love teammate (a.k.a. “uniname”) is nothing new. In fact, it’s not original.

Before Hollywood cooked up Bennifer (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez), followed by Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), Robsten (Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart), Tomkat (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) and many others, more than 40 years earlier local showbiz touted the threesome of Rosemarie Sonora, Pepito Rodriguez and the late Ricky Belmonte as Rikitik, Pepitik and Rositik.

Today, both Hollywood and Philippine Showbiz are shot full with such titles, the most popular of them is, hands down, Kathniel for Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (who has become the foremost role model among boys his age that they proudly sport what may be known as the “Daniel Padilla hairdo”).

So far, Kapamilya KathNiel has been paired in three soaps — Growing Up, Princess & I and Got To Believe — and now catapulted to the big screen in Pagpag, Siyam Na Buhay, jointly produced by Star Cinema and Regal Films which is the only horror-suspense entry in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), directed by Frasco Santos Mortiz. The film’s subtitle refers to the nine prevalent Filipino superstitious beliefs associated with death and funeral (you know, after attending a wake, stop over along the way and don’t proceed straight home otherwise evil spirits or bad luck will follow you).

They say that good (or bad) luck comes in threes. The outgoing Year of the Snake has been good to Kath and DJ (Daniel John Ford), so Conversations asked them to do a “Take 3.”  

DANIEL

3 memorable Christmases (whether sad or happy)

All my Christmases as a child are memorable because I spent them with my family, lalung-lalo na ang mga kapatid ko.

My Christmas last year was special because my career started to peak. I got big breaks, more jobs, more blessings.

My Christmas this year is exciting because of Pagpag. I’m proud of this movie.

3 reasons why I’m celebrating this Christmas more than I did in the past

Happy ako kasi buong family ko okey na, okey na ‘yung relationship naming lahat.

I’m happy that I became an instrument in connecting the family of my mother’s side and that of my father’s side.

I’m also happy for my friends, kasi kahit papano what we have been wanting to buy when we were kids ay puede na naming bilhin. May capability na akong i-share sa kanila ngayon. Matagal ko pong wi-nish ang mga ito. That’s why my Christmas this year is doubly-happy. Plus siyempre nandiyan si Kath.

3 Christmas wishes

That the construction of my house will be finished soon.

That the Yolanda victims, including some of my relatives in Leyte, will recover. Hindi kasi biro ang pinagdadaanan nila ngayon. Isa pa hindi natin sila puwedeng i-ignore na lang.

Of course, more projects to come. If most of those projects are with Kath, okey na okey!

3 favorite roles from my TV shows

Joaquin from Got to Believe.

Gino of Princess & I.

Patrick in Growing Up.

These were my breakout roles as an actor.

3 things that I hope to accomplish in 2014

Hopefully to win awards.

To make more movies.

To be able to help those in need so I can share my blessings.

3 New Year’s resolutions

Mas mag-contribute sa mga katrabaho since you come up with better results if you put your heart to your work.

To have complete rest if I have the time.

To spend more time with my family and friends, and of course including Kath.

3 places I want to visit in 2014

Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto! Joke! Well seriously, I want to visit places where I’m sure I will enjoy myself.

3 things that I want to have

Material things po ba ito? Pero wish lang naman — Porsche, new house and new phone kasi nasira ‘yung phone ko!  (Laughs)

3 reasons why I love my mom

Very supportive sa career ko si Mama (Karla Estrada).

Laging concerned sa aming magkakapatid.

Parang barkada ko siya na lagi n’ya akong nilalaglag! Pero andoon pa rin ang pagiging mother niya. May authority pa rin.

3 things that I love about Kath

Actually, not only three things, kundi lahat.

As I said, everything!

Si Kath mismo. Masarap kasi siya talagang kasama, eh!

3 things that I don’t like about Kath

There’s nothing not to like about Kath. She’s a good girl.

3 things that I like about myself

Huwag na po ito, parang diyahe. Well, I just be myself and I am  naturally nice to everybody. To me, that’s the most important thing.

3 girls of my dream (aside from Kath)

No other but Kath.

KATHRYN

3 memorable Christmases (both sad and happy)

For me po, almost every Christmas is memorable!

3 reasons why I’m celebrating this Christmas more than I did in the past

Because this will be our first Christmas with my niece

This is also our first Christmas in our new house.

This year has been so amazing to me. I feel so blessed.

3 Christmas wishes

More blessings

I wish my 2014 will be full of happiness.

I wish good health for my family and friends.

3 favorite roles from my shows

Mikay of Princess and I.

Chichay of Got To Believe.

Leni of Pagpag.

Iba-iba po kasi ang personalities nila pero lahat sila may lalim.

3 things that I hope to accomplish in 2014

Finish schooling.

To have more time with my family.

Make Chichay remarkable and memorable to the fans and viewers.

3 New Year’s resolutions

Well, I can’t think of three things. Pero I make it a point na i-maintain ko po being a good girl or becoming a better person taon-taon.

3 places I want to visit in 2014

Too many to name only three. I want to go abroad but first, I want to see more of the Philippines where it’s more fun.

3 things that I want to have

More blessings po — such as my career to be more active; for my team-up with DJ to be stronger and our relationship to remain good; for my family, relatives and friends to be healthy.

3 reasons why I love my parents

They are supportive sa career ko.

They guide me in improving myself.

Buo po ang concern and care nila sa aming magkakapatid, and they would do everything to give us a good life.

3 things that I love about DJ

He is thoughtful.

He is caring.

He has a kind of gentleness that you can feel only if you become close to him.

Also, please ask the fans po why they love DJ. (Laughs)

3 things that I don’t like about DJ

I can’t think of any. (Laughs) Enjoy kasi akong kasama si DJ! Maganda ang bonding namin!

3 things that I like about myself

About Chichay na lang po kaya or Leni. (Laughs) Well, God-fearing po ako at maalaga sa sarili at sa mga taong nagmamahal sa akin.

3 things that I don’t like about myself.

I can’t think of anything. (Laughs)

3 boys of my dream (aside from DJ)

I can’t name any. My ideal boy ay ‘yung ma-respeto sa girls, responsible, ma-chika, ma-PR, at may confidence sa mga choices niya sa buhay. ‘Yun pong magaling magdala ng sarili niya. Higit sa lahat, may takot sa Diyos.

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