Fun, fearless, feisty, fiery Kylie

KYLIE Padilla thinks the Maria Clara dress is itchy and heavy, but it is a small price to pay to play a dream role.

Kylie Padilla is the first to admit that she is the total opposite of Leonor Rivera, her role in the GMA 7 historical series “Ilustrado.”

After all, feisty and fearless Kylie, a Muay Thai aficionado, would not think twice about kicking a guardia civil’s butt.

Leonor, the childhood sweetheart and first love of national hero Jose Rizal (played by Alden Richards), was dainty and delicate, Kylie acknowledges. “Our director (King Mark Baco) keeps reminding me that my movements should be smalller. That I should be more timid, less outgoing,” she recalls. “That was the hardest part.”

She diligently studied the script, to become more acquainted with Leonor. “Two weeks before we started taping, I read the script every day. I also made sure the tone of my voice was different … softer.”

Another major adjustment were the period costumes. “The Maria Clara dress was heavy, itchy and it was hot on the set. But if you love what you are doing, those small inconveniences won’t matter at all.”

Coincidentally, her father, action star Robin Padilla, is playing another revolutionary hero in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry, “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo.”

“My father was glad when he learned I would play Leonor,” she relates. “My dad did a lot of research on Jose Rizal to prepare for his role as Andres Bonifacio. He said Rizal was Bonifacio’s idol. My dad even traveled to Europe, to see the places that Rizal visited.”

Little-known details

Kylie tells the Inquirer that her dad shared little-known details about Rizal to her. “He said that while his contemporaries painted nudes, Rizal kept drawing portraits of Leonor while in Europe. He missed her. He was so in love with her.”

Thoroughly modern Kylie would surely feel out of place among the reserved and reticent women of the Spanish era and would rather join the likes of warrior women Gabriela Silang and Teresa Magbanua in the battlefield. “I want to do an action film.”

Case in point: While motoring around the city, Kylie chanced upon a group of rallyists, protesting the armed conflict in the Middle East recently.

Kylie left her car and driver, and joined the protestors, who were pleasantly surprised that a celebrity joined their ranks.

“I was not there to take sides…I was there to stand up for the children who are caught in the crossfire,” she explains. “My mom keeps me updated on the situation in the Middle East, that’s why I took part in the rally. I’ve always had a soft spot for kids.”

Her father was understandably concerned. “He said he was proud of me, but that I should be more careful next time.”

Kylie got to access her reservoir of fearlessness in her new horror movie, Jose Javier Reyes’ “Dilim,” under Regal Films.

Although she doesn’t get spooked easily, she insists she got goosies while reading the script.

“I made the mistake of reading the script at night! During the shoot, whenever I was alone in a dark corridor, I actually got frightened,” she recounts. “Direk Joey has written a scary script.”

She says she has learned a lot from Direk Joey. “He taught me professionalism and humility. Even though he is a brilliant writer-director, he remains approachable.”

Fun-loving actor

She also hit it off with leading man Rayver Cruz. “We are both makulit and fun-loving. Rayver doesn’t act like an artista at all.”

So is Rayver boyfriend material?

Kylie would rather focus on work these days—especially since she is still recovering from a stormy split-up with Aljur Abrenica.

She recently bumped into Aljur at the fashion gala, “Night of Stars: A Celebration of Philippine Barong and Filipiniana Dresses.”

“It was okay,” she recalls. “I greeted him and he greeted back. I’ve moved on… I don’t want to dwell on ill feelings.”

But is she willing to share the screen with Aljur?

“I am not sure about working together, though, because that means we would have to spend a lot of time together and I’m not ready for that,” she quips.

Finally, a Kryptonite that daunts Kylie.