Derek Ramsay (left) and Kiray Celis
At his welcome press conference at GMA 7, Derek Ramsay said that one of the most unforgettable kissing scenes he has ever done was with Kiray Celis in the big-screen rom-com “Love is Blind” three years ago.
What was the young comedienne’s reaction upon hearing Derek’s “revelation”?
“I saw him say that he would like to work with the likes of Carla (Abellana), Solenn (Heussaff) and Lovi (Poe) … tapos ako. Parang … ang layo!” Kiray said, laughing, in a recent interview with reporters. “I want to work with him again—my Kuya D. That would be nice.”
Like Derek, the 24-year-old actress has just transferred to GMA 7. While she will always be thankful to ABS-CBN for the eight years she had spent with them, Kiray felt she needed “to grow” as a performer.
“May utang na loob ako sa ABS. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the people there. I wouldn’t have been able to show what I could do,” she said. “I have learned the importance of humility; of not being complacent even if you feel secure about your capabilities because there will always be someone better.”
“But I felt like I needed to grow—I’m not getting any younger,” she added. “And GMA 7 is giving me an opportunity to explore. Not everyone gets that kind of chance, so I grabbed it.”
And frankly, Kiray pointed out, signing up with the Kapuso network was a practical move for her. “Of course, I need to work hard to earn a living—we all do. So I have to go where there’s work; where I can show what else I can do,” she said.
One of her dream projects is to be part of the long-running gag show, “Bubble Gang.” “Michael V is one of the artists I would really love to work with. He’s so good … a genius,” Kiray said. —ALLAN POLICARPIO