Starting off the year on a busy note with projects like The 18th Rose and The Secrets of Hotel 88, actress Xyriel Manabat shared how her latest role in Miss Behave as a smart techie high school student named Nyx Rodriguez actually had some similarities to her real-life personality.
“Ako dito si Nyx Rodriguez, ako dito si Miss Maem. Ang color kasi niya is yellow so siya magdadala ng sunshine. Kung si Marla (played by Alexa Ilacad) si Miss Perfect, ako naman dito ang Miss Imperfect. Wala siyang pakialam sa gagawin niya basta gagawin niya. She’s an unapologetic maem. Si Nyx naman superpower niya is innovation, butingting, robotics. So ganun siya na geek.
"Dahil nga si Nyx ay Miss maem or may pagka-bakla siya dito, so I think na may onting similarities sa mga araw na nagigising ako na gusto ko naman maging baklang babae. Pero siguro ang similarities namin is matapang sila. Pag may gusto silang panindigan, paninindigan nila. So hindi basta basta na-pi-peer pressure. So kung yun yung stand niya, kahit mag-cut siya ng tao, okay lang. Basta mapanindigan niya na hindi siya ganun or ganun siyang klase ng tao. So pareho sila ni Xy sa ganung paraan,” she said.
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In this iWant series, Xyriel is part of a group of smart girls who band together to plot revenge against male students they believe are behind their leaked scandalous photos. But more than just being a revenge story, Xyriel explained how the series hopes to serve a bigger role in empowering women who have gone through the same traumatic experience.
“Bukod kasi sa emotions ng mga characters namin, siguro kaya rin sobrang desidido kami at saka sobrang dedicated kami gawin yung bawat scenes, kasi for me everything is a shout for justice sa mga voiceless na naka-experience nito. Dun sa mga pinatahimik, doon sa mga hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin maibalik yung pagtingala nila. Maraming mga kababaihan, buhay nila yung nawala sa kanila. Or if they’re still living, parang wala ng life.
"Parang yun yung motivation namin or ako every time na meron kaming tinatapos na scene. Na this is not just for an afternoon, this is not just for the story, this is not just for the script or the series, the show, the project, this is an advocacy and this is a fight para alam ng lahat ng lahat ng nakaranas nito na hindi sila nag-iisa at hindi pa huli ang lahat. They still have worth,” she said.
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During the Miss Behave presscon, Xyriel also revealed what she considers her biggest misbehaving moment with her family to date.
“Ako siguro, nung sinurprise ko na lang yung parents ko na may apat na piercing ako sa chest ko. Kasi hindi nila alam yun. Umuwi ako naka-turtleneck tapos nakita na lang nila na pinost na nung studio. Sabi sa akin, ‘Ano yung nasa dibdib mo? Piercing ba yun?’ Nung umuwi ako, kumakain ako ng lunch ng naka-napakainit na jacket kasi para hindi nila malaman. Pero mga two days lang. Wala na siya, ni-reject. Pero umabot siya sa one year po!” she recalled.
Miss Behave stars Alexa Ilacad, Xyriel Manabat, JC Alcantara, Akira Morishita, Raven Rigor, LA Santos, Zach Castaneda, Reign Parani, Andi Abaya, Rans Rifol, and Zach Guerrero. Directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal. Miss Behave is now available for streaming, only on iWant.