Kylie learns to be independent

MANILA, Philippines - These are busy days for Kylie Padilla. She is juggling her time between taping for her GMA 7 historical drama series Ilustrado with Alden Richards and shooting for her first big-screen outing titled Dilim, a Jose Javier Reyes-directed horror film under Regal Entertainment. Both projects will debut next month.

Tomorrow night, the 21-year-old Kapuso actress is headlining the fashion show Night of the Stars: A Celebration of the Philippine Barong & Filipiniana at the PICC with ex-boyfriend Aljur Abrenica and if ever, it will be the first time their paths will cross after their controversial break-up some months back. 

Kylie admitted that they’ve texted occasionally, especially after the issue over Aljur’s decision to terminate his contract with his mother network.

Asked if she still has feelings for Aljur, “(Hindi ko hinahayaan) I don’t allow it kasi mahirap na. Past na po si (Aljur),” the endearingly candid Kylie said when she paid The STAR a visit over the weekend with cousin RJ Padilla. “Of course, I will greet him (when I see him). But wala nang kilig.”

The kilig part, nevertheless, seems to be reserved for her Dilim co-star, Rayver Cruz. With tabloid reports linking the two, the alabaster-skinned beauty confessed, “I like him,” smiling brightly and widely, although she was also quick to note, “But I really enjoy being single.”

Kylie ruminated, “I’m enjoying this phase wherein I’m getting to know myself. I had a lot of fears before… I lacked confidence, like in Sunday All Stars, hindi ako maka-perform ng maayos, aasa ako sa lalake, lagi akong nagtatanong, kumusta kaya, ano ang gagawin ko. Right now, I’m relying on myself — it’s all about mindset — I don’t have to depend on a guy to tell me that I can do this or that, or that I’m good. And it’s a great feeling to be able to do so — very liberating.”

The break-up (the real reason of which she revealed on the condition that it was off-the-record) was a learning experience and a step towards maturity. “He was my first boyfriend. When we were just starting, akala ko siya na, blinded ako... ayoko na ng ganun. (But) maybe I really had to go through it, you know. I’m thankful for all the lessons from that experience. I’m very different now from the Kylie of four or three months ago.”

As for her famously protective father, Robin Padilla, Kylie said that “he has become more protective after the break-up. He wants me to live with him, and I still do. I have a new condo, but I’m living with my dad.”

Incidentally, she’s getting some help from her father in preparation for her show Ilustrado, touted as the first primetime “bayani-serye” produced by GMA News and Public Affairs.

“Ilustrado is about Jose Rizal. I play Leonor Rivera, who is said to be Rizal’s true love. I did my research as preparation and I watched a few documentaries about him,” said Kylie and having been raised abroad, “It was from Papa whom I first heard about Jose Rizal being the national hero. Papa even took us to his (Jose Rizal’s) school in Europe, in Heidelberg. We saw where he lived, his name was there, and he has a statue there, on a hill in Heidelberg.”

When asked if there was truth to Robin’s statements (as quoted in the papers) about wanting to leave the country for good out of frustration over the socio-political happenings in the country, Kylie said, “My father is nationalistic, feeling ko hindi niya iiwan yung bansa niya, but he said it out of frustration para magising din yung mga tao.”

Meanwhile, Kylie considers it a huge and an exciting challenge to portray Leonor Rivera because her personality is vastly different from her TV character.

“I’m very different from Leonor Rivera because mahinhin siya, she keeps her emotions to herself. Me, I’m playful, childish, while si Leonor very prim and proper. My director always tells me, o Kylie yung upo mo, mga ganun. The similar thing with Leonor is when I love, like everyone else, I also love fully.”

As the series harks back to the Maria Clara days, Kylie has her own definition of today’s dalagang Pilipina, saying she “should be independent and can stand on her own. She should not be dependent on a man for money, status and when it comes to wherever else. I believe in that now.”

(Night of the Stars: A Celebration of Philippine Barong & Filipiniana will also feature Dianne Hernandez, Arthur Solinap, Valeen Montenegro, RJ Padilla, Johan Santos, Geoff Taylor, Pat Fernandez and Rita de Guzman, Katrina Medina, April Tanueco and June Macasaet who will model the works of fashion designers Renee Salud, Simon Ariel Vasquez, Albert Figueras, Manny Halasan, Edwin Uy, Shanon Pamaong and Gary Roces.)