Sweet singer explores her 'evil side'

SHE HAS such a sweet face, and a sweet disposition to match.

Her last name is also the name of a Philippine town that is known worldwide for its sugar industry-and when she launched her singing career after placing second in Search for the Star in a Million in 2005, she was dubbed the 'Pop Honey'.

But these days, the singer-actress Nikki Bacolod is getting an opportunity to explore her evil side in her role as Diana in ABS-CBN's new fantaserye Dyosa. For the role, Nikki had to shed her sweet personality and learn how to play the antagonist under the guidance of Dyosa director Wenn Deramas, who reportedly fought for her inclusion in the cast after he was impressed by her performance in Cute Ang Ina Mo, a film that was co-produced by Star Cinema and Nikki's home studio, Viva Films.

And her role in Dyosa is nothing to sneer at, because she plays kontrabida to no less than lead star Anne Curtis. The story revolves around a prophecy concerning the birth of a child who will rule over land, sea and sky and who will be born with powers that give her authority over two kingdoms.

Diana grows up mistakenly believing that she is that child, an idea planted in her head by her mother Magayon (Jaclyn Jose). On the day of Diana's supposed coronation, it is revealed that there is another child, Josephine, daughter of Sinukuan (Mickey Ferriols), and that she is the child meant in the prophecy, not Diana. This angers Diana, who vows revenge on her sister.

As the story unfolds, Diana will show more and more of her evil side, which is acting challenge for Nikki, who is very sweet and soft-spoken in real life. 'I'm very, very pressured, because it's my first time to do a kontrabida role,' admitted Nikki when the City Times talked to her at the grand Press conference for Dyosa a few days prior to its premiere.

What makes it even more of a challenge for Nikki is that most of her scenes here are opposite multi-awarded actress Jaclyn Jose, who plays her mother. But to Nikki's credit-and surprise, we might add-the initial reviews that are filtering in have all been good. Some people have called Nikki's acting a 'revelation'. They are amazed that Nikki has been able to hold her own alongside the veteran actress without being blown away in their scenes together.

'That's true, most of my scenes here are with Miss Jaclyn,' says Nikki. 'That's why I felt even more pressured to do my best, because I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of her.' But challenging and intimidating as her work in Dyosa is, doing her very first movie was even scarier. At least going into Dyosa, she already had some acting experience. When she signed on to do a role in Cute Ang Ina Mo with Direk Wenn, she came into it a complete newbie, knowing practically nothing about acting. 'It was my first movie, and I was really scared, because I knew I'd be working with Direk Wenn, who is a blockbuster director,' says Nikki.

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• City Times