After ending up as the 4th Big Placer of Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11, Kai Montinola is now steadily making her presence felt in the teleserye scene as she joins the cast of Dreamscape Entertainment’s action-packed primetime series ROJA, which premiered in November.
ROJA blends mystery, action, and drama, all set against the scenic backdrop of the resort La Playa Roja. In the primetime teleserye, Kai portrays Ice Mercado, the off-screen partner of influencer Bogs Lim, played by Emilio Daez. Her character finds herself entangled in a love triangle involving Jules Santos, portrayed by AC Bonifacio, adding another layer of tension to the story.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, Kai candidly shared how stepping into her first major teleserye role felt both exciting and overwhelming, especially given the scale of the cast and the intensity of the production.
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“Well, first of all, I’ll be honest – it was quite overwhelming. Especially nung una kong nalaman na ang dami pala namin na cast. But nung nagstart na yung first cycle, siyempre we were locked-in in a small island and we were able to know each other and everyone. Surprisingly and expectedly, na-enjoy ko yung stay ko kasi siyempre kasi they are all experienced but also they are also very warm.”
Kai appears in the series alongside lead cast members Donny Pangilinan, Kyle Echarri, and Maymay Entrata. The primetime drama also brings together veteran actors including Janice De Belen, Lorna Tolentino, Joel Torre, Raymond Bagatsing, Nikki Valdez, and Bernard Palanca, among other artists. For her, the project marks a significant milestone in her acting journey, following her cameo appearance in the 2024 hit primetime drama Saving Grace.
As a newcomer to long-form television, Kai said she found comfort in being surrounded by seasoned actors who were generous with their guidance. “As a baguhan, natuto akong gawin yung ibang stuff dahil nandun sila para i-guide ako,” she said.
Looking back, Kai expressed gratitude for the support she received from the cast and crew, describing ROJA as a meaningful first family in her acting career.
“I’m very thankful for the ROJA family [being] my first family kasi ito rin yung first show ko. I’m so thankful for the ROJA cast.”
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Among the many moments on set, one particular lesson left a lasting impression on Kai. She recalled learning from actress Rubi Rubi, who plays Happy Capinpin, the resort manager of La Playa Roja. The advice came during a panic scene involving AC Bonifacio and Emilio Daez.
“Tumatak talaga [sa akin] yung very first panic scene namin ni AC and Emilio kasi we have scenes that are chill lang. Yung unang panic scene namin na kailangan namin mag-run. Before all of that we were kind of nervous because we did not know [and] we were not part of the action [scenes] yet.”
Kai admitted that being thrown into a high-energy scene was nerve-wracking, especially since it marked her first real exposure to the action side of the series.
“And finally the day has come to finally do it. Ms. Rubi Rubi told us that ‘anong gagawin mo, iiyak ka ba? Are you going to run?’ so basically, she was telling us [that] you need to react as your character, and you need to empathize as your character. Kasi nasa atin na yun eh, kung anong method yung gagawin natin.”
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Still exploring her craft, Kai said she continues to learn and experiment with different acting approaches as she grows in the industry.
“Pero as a baguhan, I’m still exploring with different methods in acting.”
She also credited Rubi Rubi for patiently guiding her through the process and helping her understand how to express her character’s emotions more effectively.
“Tita Rubi was there to help me with how I should show my emotions as my character. Thank you, Ms. Rubi.”
Beyond acting, Kai is also building her identity as a singer. In July 2025, she officially debuted as a recording artist with the release of her album Kailedidoscope, launched during Kai’s The Limit Album Launch at the SM North EDSA Sky Dome. The seven-track EP explores themes of love, self-worth, and emotional growth.
When asked what fans can look forward to next in her music journey, Kai made it clear that singing will always remain a constant in her life.
“In terms of singing, well, meron at meron talagang aabangan dahil hindi ko titigilan ang singing. Mapa-acting man ako, sumayaw man ako, or makita niyo ako sa ASAP that I’m dancing, I will never stop singing. Meron at meron talagang aabangan.”