MANILA, Philippines - A few years ago, some smiling girl in a t-shirt-and-jeans combo came to the Filipino television audience’s collective consciousness in a TV advertisement. She strolled the busy Manila streets singing a tune and handing out a seemingly infinite supply of soda from her bag. The lucky recipients then happily grabbed their bottles of pop with smiles on their faces, as if to say thank you to their mysterious soda fairy. Nikki Gil has certainly come a long way from being the cola endorser with the sling bag.
Monica Pauline Gil has become a popular personality not just here in the Philippines, but also all over Asia. After all, this is the girl who sang with Malaysia’s Vince Chong and Singapore’s Alicia Pan not just once, but twice for Disney’s High School Musical series of movies. She’s also been a VJ for Myx since 2005, on top of hosting ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy in 2006. No doubt this girl leaves her mark in whatever she does.
This time, the said mark turns pink as she takes Elle Woods, the beloved sorority-girl-turned-law-student played famously by Reese Witherspoon in the movies, to stage in Legally Blonde: The Musical. In the play, she fights for the love of ex-fiancé Warner whilst discovering her own legal eagle abilities…all without damaging her perfectly-manicured nails.
Well, it turns out, like Elle, Nikki is one girl willing to go to the ends of the earth to fight for her dreams, too. As Legally Blonde director Chari Arespacochaga explains, “At our company call on opening night, I said the finest example of a theater person we’ve had throughout the rehearsal process is a TV star... She was prepared. She was open. She was eager to learn. And she took the process of rehearsals and putting up a show so quickly I think doing theater is a great fit for her.”
Here’s an interview with the girl who can make you go, to borrow one of Elle’s favorite expressions, “Oh my gosh!”
You come from a musically inclined family. But was there ever a time you wanted to go in a direction other than music?
NIKKI GIL: Music has always been a hobby and bonding activity for us as a family. Today, I don’t see it any differently. I could do other things like act or dance or write or dabble in business, but I always find myself going back to music to relax.
You’ve been performing since childhood. What, to you, has been your greatest moment as a singer and musician?
As a singer, my most fulfilling moment so far would have to be singing at the Meralco Theater as Elle Woods for Legally Blonde the Musical. But my greatest moments — and I’m sure most other artists’ — would be singing behind closed doors before the one Audience.
What’s the biggest difference between performing on TV and being a stage actress?
If you’re a runner, TV is like [a] sprint — quick bursts and then rest. Stage is like a marathon — one long, continuous action and you collapse happily at the end of the show. TV and stage each give me different highs.
Was it hard to transition to musical theater?
Yes, in terms of discipline, preparation, team work. The reward is acquiring good habits that make you feel good.
How difficult is it to play Elle Woods? Did you have a hard time getting into the character?
It was a character that I had to study. I wouldn’t talk like Elle on a normal day, so I had to study her accent and minor nuances that make her Elle Woods. I watched several “blonde” movies, and memorized the script ahead of time so that I could apply the valley accent to Elle’s lines.
What are the similarities and differences between Elle Woods and Nikki Gil?
They are similar in a lot of ways. For one, Elle Woods doesn’t easily give up when faced with a challenge, and neither do I. We are different in that I’m more conservative in real life than the liberated Elle Woods I portray in the musical.
What do you think people can learn from Elle Woods? What aspects of her character do you admire and even want to apply in your life?
Elle is determined. She sets her mind on something and does whatever it takes to get it. But she does not step on people along the way. Elle is a passionate, positive person, and she doesn’t judge people.
What does Nikki Gil do when the cameras aren’t around? What’s your routine on a relatively free day?
I would catch up on my readings, have private dinners with family, maybe enjoy a bit of spa or a good movie.
What do you miss about “normal life”? Are there things you sort of want back from your life before the limelight?
Occasionally, I miss being anonymous, going out unnoticed and just being the simple me with no make-up and all. I would sometimes wish I had more time to bum around or enjoy a long vacation.
Answer in one sentence: What do you want your fans to remember you as?
I’d be happy to be remembered as somebody who made a positive difference in their lives.
Describe Nikki Gil in five words.
Believe, receive, then give back.