Kaila Estrada not yet ready to work with Janice de Belen, John Estrada: ‘Nahihiya akong magkamali’

(From left) Kaila Estrada, Janice de Belen, John Estrada. Images: Instagram/@kailaestrada, Instagram/@johnestrada__

Kaila Estrada admitted that she’s not yet ready to join forces with her parents Janice de Belen and John Estrada in a project because she wants to focus on developing her skills as an actress for now.

During an interview with Ogie Diaz on his YouTube channel last Thursday, Nov. 16, Estrada confessed that she doesn’t see herself with her parents in a “different work environment” at the moment.

“May ganung factor. Parang nahihiya ako, parang sa ngayon, di ko siya ma-imagine. Siguro kasi, nahihiya akong magkamali sa harap nila (I think there’s such a factor. I’m rather shy and for now, I can’t imagine working with them. Maybe it’s because I’m scared to mess up in front of them). I think that’s part of it,” she said.

The “Linlang” star added that she’s not used to seeing her parents in a work setting, as she noted that she wants to gain confidence and experience in the showbiz industry first.

“Tsaka siyempre, it’s a different environment. ‘Yung work environment, so hindi ako sanay na kasama sila sa ganung environment,” she said. “Pero someday, sana maka-work ko sila. Gusto ko munang ma-gain yung experience, confidence, bago mangyari yung moment na yun na mag-work kami, but someday.”

(And of course, it’s a different environment, the work environment per se. So I’m not used to seeing them in that kind of environment. But someday, I hope to work with them. I want to gain experience and confidence before working with them. But someday.)

Estrada admitted that being the daughter of seasoned actors is indeed a “privilege,” but clarified that she chose to be an actress on her own terms. “Hindi ko naman dine-deny that there is privilege there, diba (I’ not denying that there is privilege there, right)?”

“All I can say is that I chose to do this on my own,” she continued. “For whatever reason, I got accepted whether it was because of them or because of me by myself, it’s not really something I have control over.”

Despite this, she hopes that the public will see her as a unique individual away from the shadows of her parents.

“I hope that people give me the space to show them that I have something to bring to the table, na nagsu-sumikap din naman ako (that I’m doing my best),” she said. “I want to work hard. I recognize the privilege. But I don’t really want to make use of it. I want to achieve things on my own.”

Estrada made waves for her portrayal of Sylvia Lualhati in “Linlang,” where she gained praise for her acting chops in confrontation scenes with Kim Chiu, JM de Guzman and Maricel Soriano.

She currently stars as Bettina Young Tiu in the drama “Can’t Buy Me Love.”