LionhearTV

After a long break from showbiz, Kaye Abad is back in the limelight with the period film Iliw. The movie, which was inspired by true stories of the Japanese-Filipino-American war in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, is also Kaye’s first independent film project. “Tinawagan ako ng manager ko na may offer daw. Interested kagad ako sa story kasi nung sinabi pa lang na period film, interested na ako marinig what it was all about. Then sinabi pa na may kasamang Japanese actors sa cast so parang na-challenge ako na gawin,” she shares during the presscon for the film last January 9 at Cravings, Tomas Morato.

The film was shot in two and a half weeks, with a limited production crew. The former Tabing Ilog actress shares that she had an unforgettable experience shooting the film in various locations like Baguio, Vigan and other parts of the province of Ilocos, Sur. “Masaya na malungkot yung shooting kasi doon ko lang na-experience na maliit lang kasi yung group tapos magkakasama kami araw-araw. Matutulog kami ng four tapos magigising kami ng six in the morning so talagang halos 24-7 magkakasama kami. Naging masaya kasi may bonding dahil maliit nga lang yung group. Malungkot kasi na-attach ako sa mga tao, sa mga nakatrabaho ko. Umiyak nga ako eh,” she admits.

In the movie, Kaye Abad plays a young maiden who falls in love with her father’s captor, a Japanese military officer played by Japanese theater and film actor Hiroyuki Takashima. Kaye says her co-star was a true gentleman on and off the set. “Masaya siya katrabaho. Mabait siya at hindi mareklamo,” she admits. But Kaye says that doing scenes with him was a bit of a challenge. “Medyo mahirap yung throwing lines with Hiro. Kasi, even before, I don’t usually memorize my lines. Pag may script ako, I just get the thought and flow of the dialogue. But this time, I had to memorize everything pati yung pagkaka-sunod-sunod kasi yung lines niya lahat in Japanese. So kailangan kong intindihin kung ano yung last line niya para alam ko kung kelan ako papasok. And then I have to know my second line kasi hindi ko rin alam kung ano yung sinasabi niya. Kumbaga wala akong cue,” she confides.

After being regularly seen in the series Super Inggo in 2007, Kaye decided to take an indefinite break from showbiz. “Naghihintay lang ako ng tamang project sa tamang panahon. Para sa akin kasi, kung para sa akin, talagang para sa akin yun. So ayun, dumating ito, nagustuhan ko, ginawa ko,” she says. The Cavite-based actress shares that she enjoyed her extended vacation, “Ang ginawa ko lang kumain, humiga, matulog. (laughs). Habang nasa bakasyon ako, nag-show din naman ako sa States. Actually bakasyon lang talaga siya lahat. Parang sa bahay lang mostly ako.”

The 26-year-old actress also shared that her youthful looks also have a downside. “Alam ko dapat masaya ako kasi sabi nila hindi daw ako tumatanda, pero para sa akin ang hirap kasi ang hirap kumuha ng roles. Malungkot na masaya yung question na bakit parang hindi ako nag-a-age (laughs),” she says. Kaye also admits what she misses the most about being in showbiz. “Siyempre na-miss ko yung nakakasama ko yung mga iba’t ibang klaseng tao. Tapos yung pag-arte of course. Nakaka-miss yung acting,” she says.