Why Kylie Padilla grew wary of letting sons watch her shows

While she lets her kids watch her television shows once in a while, Kylie Padilla has grown wary of doing so after seeing how much it affects them.

“Na-trauma ako because when I let them watch my past soap ‘Bolera’ … oh my God, na-sad ako bigla! The scene was of me and Tita Jane (the late Jaclyn Jose) fighting. They asked, ‘Why is she fighting you? We don’t like her!’ So after that, I thought, “Ayoko na ipapanood because they believe what they see,” she told Inquirer in a set visit for the GMA 7 series “Asawa ng Asawa Ko.”

Kylie has two sons with estranged husband Aljur Abrenica: Alas Joaquin, 6, and Axl Romeo, 4.

“I try to prevent them from watching things they can’t understand yet because they will be in fight mode! They will be very mad!” Kylie said, laughing. “They also saw a scene where I’m crying and one of them cried, too. I told him, ‘Anak, hindi siya totoo.’ They can’t grasp yet that it’s just acting.”

However, there are also moments, Kylie said, when she just doesn’t want to ruin her sons’ sense of fantasy and wonder.

“I did a TikTok video where I transform into Sang’gre Amihan (her character in ‘Encantadia’ 2016). In the end—through editing—I produce the air gem in my hands. One of them said, ‘Mama, labas mo ‘yung brilyante! Gusto ko makita.’ I can’t tell them and explain that it’s not real,” Kylie related.

While she had recently done guest appearances in such soaps as “Black Rider” and “Voltes V: Legacy,” the last time she played a regular role was for “Mga Lihim ni Urduja,” which ended May 2023. As a single mom, she makes the most out of her free time in between shows. She brought her kids on a trip to Japan and enjoyed “slow” days with them, feeding animals on a farm.

Going back to the grind has been difficult but Kylie would like to believe that a bit of time away from one another could be good for her kids’ growth.

Healthy space

“We’re always together. They say, ‘Mama, huwag ka na umalis!’ But it’s also good for them not seeing me for a bit. It will teach them independence, in some way. There’s that healthy space,” the 31-year-old Kapuso star said.

As someone passionate about her craft, the desire to act inevitably strikes. “When I was doing ‘Urduja,’ there were days when I couldn’t see my sons, because I was also doing promo for my film with Gerald Anderson (“Unravel”). I wanted a break after that … But after six months, I was hoping, ‘Baka meron na (project)!’ There’s a need to create, act. It’s just in my blood,” she said.

Kylie recently joined the cast of “Asawa ng Asawa Ko.” She plays Hannah, the ex-wife of Leon (Joem Bascon), the former leader of the rebel group Kalasag.

“Hannah is ambitious and has a rebellious streak. If she wants something, she will do everything to get it. If she has to jump off a cliff, she will do it,” Kylie said of her character, who leaves everything behind and joins the group.

“Hannah gets pregnant at 17, but her maternal instinct kicks in later on. I was also quite young (24) when I first gave birth but our levels of maturity were different. I have to understand how she was able to leave her family and kids. I couldn’t wrap my head around how she was able to do it,” she said.

‘Like therapy’

“That’s the challenge. That’s where I have to do the hard work. You have to have empathy for the character. Otherwise, you can’t deliver,” she said.

The more physical side of the job, however, Kylie already has down pat. As someone who grew up watching her famous father, action star-turned-politician Sen. Robin Padilla, train for action movies, she already knows her way around guns and fight scenes.

“You guys know me. It’s as if I returned to my childhood. My father would always take me with him. ‘Akyat ng bundok? Training for guns? Tara!’ I don’t have to prepare much. I can just jump right into it because I already know what to do,” she said.

Kylie has always been vocal about her mental health and her occasional struggles with anxiety. One thing that makes her uneasy is a bad working environment. Luckily, she has no such problem on this set. “My co-stars are all good. They’re giving actors, and Direk Laurice Guillen is an actor’s director. I can just easily reciprocate what they give me,” Kylie said of the cast, which also includes Rayver Cruz, Liezel Lopez and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

Besides, Kylie has been learning how to better manage her anxiety. “For me, meditation, journaling and listening to music help. I also believe that you have to listen to your body cues. If you’re uncomfortable about something, or if you’re tired, listen to your body. Go sleep and rest,” she said. “At work, I have learned to transmute the negative energy into something positive, so it doesn’t affect me.”

“It’s also good that I love my character here. I don’t even think, I just perform,” she added. “It’s like therapy for me.” INQ