Three years after top-billing the hit soap Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin on ABS-CBN in 2017, Kim Chiu is back on the small screen via Love Thy Woman. Here, she shares stellar billing with reel-and-real-life partner Xian Lim.
Though the series has been performing well since its pilot week, many of her fans got dismayed though that the show was fielded in the afternoon slot amid being a primetime material.
“Time slot is not really a big issue to me. These days, it doesn’t matter if your offering airs on daytime, afternoon or primetime. You know, there’s the Internet and iWanTV. Things have changed,” the petite charmer explains.
“The time slot doesn’t define your star magnitude. Whether it’s on daytime or primetime, you exert the same amount of energy and efforts. You deliver the best acting that you can. When it comes to television, everything’s on the same level at this point!”
What matters to Kim is the trust her home studio continuously gives her.
“I don’t think they will still get my services and make me star in their grand projects if they don’t believe in me anymore, right? For me, that shows your worth.”
Considering her co-actors in Love Thy Woman, her fans point out that the show is of primetime caliber.
“Well, thank you if they view it that way. I’m grateful that Xian and I are surrounded by some of the industry’s brightest and seasoned thespians today. That’s one of the key reasons why I’m so excited about this program. We’ve been taping for months and all of us in the production are thrilled on what the public’s reception to the story would be,” avers Kim.
The popular actress doesn’t deny that she missed doing a soap opera.
“Oh yes! It’s been three years. I missed acting and being watched by televiewers on a daily basis. That’s why I’m grateful that this material came along.”
Kim admits that she also missed working with Xian once again.
“That’s another thing. Our last soap together was The Story of Us way back in 2016. Yes, it’s been quite a while actually. Really, we missed working together. Funny, but after doing our maiden scene together, we watched ourselves in the monitor. Yes! Ha-ha-ha! Surprisingly, we felt as if we’ve just started all over again.”
Interestingly, in Love Thy Woman, Kim plays a different character: that of a mistress.
“My role is Jia, a girl who will fall in love with her sister’s husband. It’s something new for me. For the longest time, I’ve been playing the oppressed parts. Here, I’m strong-willed and ready to fight. It’s kind of hard since it’s not my usual stuff. That’s why I studied each scene to come up with an accurate portrayal,” she ends.
* * * *
Kyline Alcantara is very vocal in saying that she still couldn’t believe she’s sharing the frame with Superstar Nora Aunor in the boob tube remake of the latter’s classic potboiler Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit on GMA-7.
“it’s really a surreal experience to work with a showbiz icon like her in a grand soap opera,” she states. “All stars especially the new ones like me dream of acting with her in highly dramatic scenes. It’s a big honor.”
The competent young star vows to give her best in this project.
“I really will even though I’m nervous. Apart from Ms. Nora Aunor, our director is also topnotch (Laurice Guillen). I just wish she won’t shout at me. Ha-ha-ha! This early, I feel challenged.”
According to Kyline, she’s very excited about their new offering which will begin airing on Feb. 24.
“I feel anxious about it. I don’t know how the viewers will receive it especially since it’s a reboot of one of Ms. Nora Aunor’s award-winning movies. Of course, all of us in the production wish for its overall success. I really hope that the public will like, appreciate and support our TV version,” she says.