Bianca: I don’t mind being 2nd choice
After years of portraying kontrabida and supporting roles on the Kapuso network, Bianca King finally gets top billing in GMA 7's latest afternoon drama, "Sinner or Saint."
The role was first offered to "Eat Bulaga" host Iza Calzado. Does it bother Bianca that she's a second choice for the part that's her first leading role?
"Kung magiging second choice man lang ako sa isang Iza Calzado, walang problema. Mahal na mahal ko si Iza, sobra," she told Yahoo! OMG! Philippines and other members of the press during the launch of "Sinner or Saint" earlier this week.
Bianca said Iza is one of her closest friends in showbiz and that she consulted the "Andres de Saya" star when she got the offer to do "Sinner or Saint."
"I asked her what happened and feeling nga namin, between the two of us as good friends, we sort of felt like it's a victory for both of us. It makes it even sweeter for me that something my dear friend felt wasn't the right project for her at this point went to me. It's like through my dear friend I was able to get this," she said.
In an earlier interview, Iza explained that she backed out from the show, then titled "Sentensyada," because she wanted to give "Eat Bulaga" more time.
Humbling
Bianca, for her part, said she's humbled and, of course, happy to be given the role originally meant for Iza. Before "Sinner or Saint," Bianca was doing the primetime superhero drama "Captain Barbell," which is still ongoing.
"I was humbled as an actor na after seven years of being in GMA, they gave me this wonderful, wonderful role. It's not even the billing, it's not even the lead, pero it's the story, it's the character that was given to me," she said.
Bianca added, "Hindi ko talaga lubos maisip na sa point ng career kong ito na mapupunta sa aking yung role na ganun kasi I was in the middle of 'Captain Barbell.' So nung dumating nga yung announcement na nakuha ko yung role, sobrang hindi ako makapaniwala. And umaapaw sa kasiyahan talaga kasi hindi ko sya ine-expect. Mas maganda talaga ang isang bagay na dumating sayo pag hindi mo ine-expect."
Did she ever get impatient waiting for a juicier role? Although Bianca has been part of some of the network's biggest primetime shows—from 2004's "Mulawin" to this year's "Captain Barbell—she admits has gotten used to playing villain and supporting roles.
"I'm so happy with 'Captain Barbell.' I love my role so much. I'm so content doing 'Captain Barbell.' Siguro if I were impatient, I would have switched networks a long time ago. I just let things go their natural course, I guess," Bianca said.
She said transferring to another network did cross her mind but, recently, she felt like her career has been sailing smoothly.
"I was at the point already na parang sa sobrang kuntento na ako sa role ko sa 'Captain Barbel,' hindi ko pa iniisip yung gagawin ko after," she said.
But this doesn't mean that she's not open lead roles, saying that she was never picky with projects to begin with.
"Ayoko naman dahil may role akong ganito e magiging picky na ako after. Pero syempre sa mga namamahala sa career ko, may mga ibang goals din sila," she said.
"Sinner or Saint" starts airing this Monday, June 13, after "Blusang Itim" on GMA's "Dramarama sa Hapon."
