Love, work, and sisterhood
Megan Young and Katrina Halili have something in common: They’re both happy.
Megan Young and Katrina Halili have something in common: They’re both happy.
Valentine’s Day is a heartbeat away, but way before that, Megan Young and Mikael Daez have been filling the air with love, woohoo. Speaking with Bulletin Entertainment a few days ago, the Miss World 2013 believes keeping it low-key in the beginning and for so many years helped them maintain the strong relationship.
“Yes it’s nice to shout to the world na you love this person and it’s nice that I get to write about us on social media but still, if people would notice, I’m still guarded with certain questions,” she said. “We never opted to lie. We never denied anything, right? I always have this notion kasi na why do I have to talk about him when it’s not necessary. We have a professional relationship and in my opinion, what works for me is honesty. I don’t know how to lie so I would rather not speak about it ’di ba?”
Despite the admission, Megan wants to leave some things private – marriage matters, for one. “There are many things about us na kung okay lang ’wag ko na lang ikuwento,” she said. “Like ’yung sa pagpo-post ko, it’s a once in a blue moon thing and even if we do, we are still very mum about it. I’m happy that we can share not everything, but kung ano lang kaya naming ibigay.”
The best thing Megan learned from their seven-year relationship is to always keep communication lines open between them. “Like kung may ginawa siya na hindi mo nagustuhan, i-approach mo siya. Don’t be afraid. For me, communication talaga ang susi to make the relationship work.” If anything, the actress said she sees Mikael as “very fatherly.” “He is so caring lalo na sa mga kapatid niya. He becomes this figure they all look up to and that’s the best thing I love about him,” she said.
Real and reel
It’s the first time Mikael and Megan are working together on a TV project, “The Stepdaughters.”
For a long time, the two avoided collaboration so as to avoid conflicts and distractions.
“In fact, ang number one rule namin before bawal mag-visit sa shooting. May usapan kami na kapag on set tayo, work mode ha. Kapag kailangan ko magbasa ng script, as in bawal talaga istorobihin kasi labas naman ’yung relasyon namin
sa trabaho eh,” she explained. On the series, Megan is the beautiful and intelligent Mayumi dela Rosa while Mikael is Francis Almeda, a handsome and smart guy who falls in love with her despite all the conflicts around them.
Though admitting she has had to make some adjustments, Megan shared one of the perks of working with Mikael is that she will be doing kissing scenes with someone she’s comfortable with.
“On second thought, parang mas mahirap para sa akin (na maka-trabaho siya) kasi nahihiya ako!” she said, laughing. Megan thanked Mikael for being so supportive. She declared that he inspires her to do her work better. “It’s great working with him because I see him as someone who is dedicated in everything he does – be it in business, acting or hosting. I like the energy that he has and that inspires me a lot. Right now, it’s about me changing my perspective about him kasi
kailangan eh. ’Pag nasa shooting kami, Mikael is my co-actor,” she said.
Single but happy
Meanwhile, Megan’s good friend and “The Stepdaughters” co-actor Katrina Halili will celebrate the Heart’s Day not with a boyfriend but with her five-year-old daughter Katie.
Katrina has been without boyfriend for almost five years now and that’s okay. It was in 2014 when she parted ways with Katie’s father, singer-songwriter Kris Lawrence. Since then, the actress has been very vocal in telling that she’s not ready to be in a relationship anew.
In a separate interview, Katrina flippantly said she does not care if she is single or not. After all, she prefers to focus on her work instead of finding a new man for herself.
“Wala din naman kasi akong time na ibibigay if ever,” she said. “Gusto ko lang mag-trabaho, mag-ipon, mag-enjoy kasama ’yung anak ko.” Being single helped Katrina to love herself more. Katie serves as a turning point in her life. “Ngayong single ako, ang dami kong time sa sarili ko, sa friends ko. Pati sa pagluluto, ang daming pwedeng gawin ng isang single eh. Kumbaga hindi mo kailangan magka-boyfriend para maging masaya,” she noted. Despite their failed relationship, Katrina and Kris maintain good friendship. On the talk that Kris has a new girlfriend, the actress sees no problem with that. She went on to laud Kris for spending enough time with their daughter. “Bumibisita naman siya twice or
thrice a week. Sanay naman ’yung anak ko sa ganu’ng set up kasi even before kahit nu’ng kami pa ni Kris, dumadalaw lang din naman siya sa bahay,” she disclosed. “Pero minsan naghahanap din ’yung bata, sinasabi niya ‘I want papa to visit me.’ So ako naman, tatawagan ko si Kris, maguusap sila. Maayos naman ang lahat.”
Praise for kontrabida
Katrina is Isabelle Salvador on the “The Stepdaughters.” She is an only child who grew up spoiled and self-centered. She is set to make Mayumi’s life miserable.
Ever since she placed runner-up on “StarStruck,” Katrina has been known to portray kontrabida roles effectively. She loves to play antagonists as it challenges her capabilities as actress. “Mas sanay talaga ako maging kontrabida kasi ang bida, iyak ng iyak ’yan at mahirap para sa akin ’yun,” she divulged. “Ang pag-iyak huhugutin mo kung saan ’yan eh, ang galit madaling ilabas kaya okay din sa akin na ’yun ang naging branding ko.”
Watch out
Megan and Katrina expressed gladness working with each other.
“Katrina and I are both ‘StarStruck alumni and we are both adventurous. We’re ruling the show!” Megan shared. “It’s like seryosohan kami pagdating sa eksena
but behind the scenes, wala, kulitan lang na para nga kaming magkapatid talaga eh.” Katrina, on her part, shared, “Si Megan cool siya kasama eh. Kalog. Hindi mahirap ka-trabaho. Sweet siya parang kapatid ko na totoo.” “Hindi ko nakikita ’yung pagiging beauty queen sa kanya kasi parang bata lang ’yan sa set eh. Makulit talaga. Siguro kung may perks man na kasama ko ang isang beauty queen ito ’yung tinuturuan niya ako tumayo (ng tama), sinasabi niya ‘Kat, ganito ka maglakad.’” On the series, the two never really liked each other, even more so when Mayumi’s mother, Luisa and Isabelle’s father, Hernan, fall for one another and get married, making them stepsisters. Megan’s character is not the typical “bidang inaapi.” She fights back and that’s a challenge for the 27-year-old beauty queen. “Sobrang iba siya sa pagkatao ko. I don’t get angry in real life, I cried lang ’pag naiinis na ako. Hindi ako nagtataas ng boses. Pero ’yung character ko palaban siya,” she explained. “She’s good at heart pero kapag nasaktan ’yung mga
taong nasa paligid niya, lalaban siya. It goes with the times din kasi now we’re talking about women empowerment, pushing strong women in the industry and I’m happy I’m portraying one.”
More and more sampalans are along the way, Katrina noted, adding viewers could expect intense cat fights in a classy way.
“As much as possible, gagawin naming iba ’yung atake. Hindi lang siya ’yung typical na awayan, gagawin namin siyang mas sosyal na talagang
tatatak sa mga manunuod,” she said. Also in the cast of “The Stepdaughters” are Gary Estrada, Glydel Mercado, Allan Paule, Angelu de Leon, Sef Cadayona, Samantha Lopez, and Dion Ignacio.
Directed by Paul Sta. Ana, it premieres today on GMA Afternoon Prime.