Why Yasmien Kurdi finds role in ‘Las Hermanas’ a challenge

Kurdi (center) with costars Faith da Silva and Thea Tolentino

Now that her daughter Ayesha is turning 9, Yasmien Kurdi said trying for a second child is something that she and her husband, pilot Rey Soldevilla Jr., have already talked about.

“I would love to have a second baby—anytime, in God’s time,” she said in a recent virtual conference for “Las Hermanas,” her new afternoon soap on GMA 7.

But no rush and no pressure. “Relax lang po para makabuo!” quipped, laughing.

For now, the 32-year-old actress tries her best to spend as much quality time as possible with her loved ones. One of her favorite family bonding activities these days, she related, is having extended stays in the province, so her kid can get acquainted with the quieter life.

Life in the province

“It was my idea. We have been staying inside our homes for a long time and we can’t go out often because of the pandemic. But I wanted my family to experience life in the province,” said Yasmien, who recently brought her husband and child to Rizal. “We had a lot of fun. We went trekking and hiking. We cooked food the traditional way, in clay pots.”

“Las Hermanas,” which started airing on Oct. 25, follows the lives of the embattled sisters, Dorothy (Yasmien), Minnie (Thea) and Scarlet (Faith da Silva), whose affluent and glamorous lives are upended by a series of unfortunate events.

Yasmien Kurdi (left photo) with husband Rey Soldevilla Jr. and
daughter Ayesha (above)

First, their father dies and leaves the family bankrupt, forcing them to move to a small fishing village in the province. And then their mother gets arrested for several counts of estafa. While they’re determined to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives, the sisters’ contrasting personalities and dreams prove to be a hindrance.

“My character Dorothy is empowered and independent. In the absence of their parents, she assumed their roles to guide her sisters and shield them from harm. She’s responsible and always has ready advice. But still, she needs her sisters’ help. And she will do anything she can to keep her family together,” she said.

“The story is more realistic … My scenes with Jason Abalos (who plays Dorothy’s love interest, Gabriel) are subtle. But in some scenes, we do it with a bit of camp … we still have to have that afternoon soap feel,” the actress said of the show.

Because it was her first time working with Thea and Faith, Yasmien initiated conversations and created a chat group where they can talk anytime. “I did it after our script-reading, so that even during the pretaping bubble quarantine, we would still be able to chat and improve rapport,” she said. “When we finally met each other on the set, it was as if we already knew each other.”

Yasmien Kurdi 

Because she’s an only child in real life, getting into Dorothy’s character was quite a challenge, she admitted. To compensate, she turned to her husband’s family for inspiration.

“I wasn’t able to experience what it’s like having a sibling or having fights with one. So, I observed my husband and his sibling to see what it’s like when they have disagreements. Sometimes it makes me go, ‘Ang hirap pala ng may kapatid!’” she related. “But at the end of the day, they make up and family will always be family. INQ