James Reid says working with Kathryn Bernardo required no adjustment

James Reid said he did not have to make many adjustments while working with Kathryn Bernardo on the upcoming drama series “Someone, Someday,” despite both of them previously being part of two of the country’s biggest love teams.

Reid, who rose to fame as one-half of JaDine with Nadine Lustre, said his experience working with Bernardo, formerly of KathNiel with Daniel Padilla, was focused on creating something new for viewers.

“Luckily, there weren’t too many adjustments on working with a different lead actress,” Reid said during the press conference for the series on Tuesday, July 14, in Quezon City. 

“I think the experience itself is different. How me and Kath put together these new characters and tried to come up with something very new that people haven’t seen yet […] We really wanted to create something that was new, fresh, a brand-new experience,” he added.

READ: James Reid serenades Kathryn Bernardo with his ‘Randomantic’

Reid said that he’s glad he and Bernardo were on the “same page,” having to work for the first time with a different leading partner.

“I actually told Kath when we first started working, I was like, I’m so nervous. I’ve actually never worked with another leading lady. And then she was like, it’s okay, I know how you feel. So I was like, okay, at least we’re on the same page,” he recalled.

The actor said their team-up had long been anticipated by fans and that both of them are excited to show a different kind of on-screen partnership.

“I think the crossover of me and Kath working together has been long anticipated actually by a lot of the fans,” he said. “This new open kind of way of working together is allowing for more possibilities. It’s allowing for more opportunities, such as ‘Someone, Someday’ to exist.”

Reid also expressed excitement for viewers to see how he, Bernardo and co-star Maja Salvador bring their characters to life, teasing that the relationship at the center of the story is “not normal” but “very special.”

The series also marks Reid’s return to television a decade after his last TV project, “Till I Met You.” He said stepping away from acting several years ago was never intended to be permanent.

“Actually, I always knew that I would go back to acting,” he said. “It was never really goodbye for me. I’ve always said that it’s something I want to return to one day when I feel like I can handle it again.”

Reid said he decided to pause because the demands of acting had become overwhelming at the time, but now feels ready to return.

“It was getting a bit intense for me. But, yeah, I feel like now is the right time to come back. I’m in a good place right now. I’m very happy with everything. I feel I can handle the workload. I can handle everything that comes with it again,” he said.

Asked what he missed most about acting, Reid pointed to the creative freedom it offers compared to making music.

“Music is something deeply personal… Acting is fantasy. You get to live larger than life situations, experience larger than life love. You get to try things that you would never really do in real life,” he said. “I think that’s the part I miss the most about acting.”

“Someone, Someday” marks Reid and Bernardo’s first project together. The series follows Billy (Bernardo), a young executive balancing the care of her younger brother while managing a dating app for women. Her friendship with Jordan (Reid) gradually deepens as she leans on him for support.

Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment, the feel-good drama premieres on July 27 on ABS-CBN’s digital platforms. It will stream first on Netflix on July 24 and on iWant on July 25. /ra