With the action drama series Roja finally airing its finale this week, lead star Kyle Echarri had further solidified his potential as the country’s next big action star with his portrayal of the headstrong and determined Olsen Bonifacio, a security guard at the ill-fated La Playa Roja island resort.
“It pushed my limits. It pushed what I believe kaya kong gawin to come true. I feel very fulfilled. Yun na siguro yung pinaka word na magagamit ko, fulfilled. Dahil sa sobrang pagod din ng ginawa namin. The never-ending action, hostage-taking, and everything. I also had to deal with up and down emotions, finding out the truth with his family and everything going on in his life to making kilig, falling in love, and all that kind of stuff. It was a rollercoaster for Olsen, pero all in all, fulfilling,” he shared with PUSH ABS-CBN in an exclusive interview this month.
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After sharing long periods of doing lock-in taping with the rest of the cast of the show, Kyle admitted he would miss all his fellow actors and the production.
“I think (I’ll miss) everyone naman talaga. I already do. Of course, we finished shooting in January pa lang. I think yung samahan na nabuo namin, yun ang pinaka importante. I think everyone was able to build a bond, especially when you’re locked in on an island talaga all together for how many months. Buong buhay namin yun,” he said.
The Roja star also shared why he enjoyed many unforgettable bonding moments with the cast in between their work and rest days for the popular series.
“I think every rest day, lalo na nung sa La Playa Roja (island) kami. Lahat kami magkasama. We always had activities. We played volleyball together, we would have endless nights together. The day before rest day alam mo naman mag-re-rest yung mga artists, mag-re-rest talaga, mag-e-enjoy kami sa isa’t isa. So I think we just had so much fun on the set building a connection na feeling ko naman nag-translate talaga onscreen,” he added.
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Out of all the 77 episodes they taped for Roja, the 22-year-old actor explained why one of the last few scenes they shot were the most unforgettable for him.
“I think it was the second to the last day ng shoot because I had to shoot three major action scenes in one day. Hinahabol namin yung araw. I got a minor injury in between because I fell on a rock. Okay naman ako. Nakakagalaw naman ako (laughs). I think I’m going to remember that the most because the discipline that I had to put myself in that moment. As in after the action scene, I couldn’t even celebrate that moment because when we finished that action scene, okay, lipat naman sa kabila. I had to memorize (the script) for the next one so it was tiring but then again, fulfilling talaga,” he recalled.