After a celebrated sabbatical spent honing her craft behind the lens in London, the “Mapanakit” Queen is officially trading her signature tearjerkers for tactical gear. Bela Padilla makes her highly anticipated return to primetime in the high-octane action-drama Blood Vs Duty, marking her first major television comeback since 2019. Shedding her traditional dramatic persona to portray Lara Reyes, Bela proves she is no longer just the queen of heartbreak, but a formidable force in the realm of action and survival.
Joining forces with action heavyweights Richard Gutierrez and Gerald Anderson, Bela has fully committed to the role’s physical demands, undergoing rigorous Muay Thai and tactical firearm training to bring a raw authenticity to the screen. Blood Vs Duty is already gaining fans, now the number 1 TV show on Netflix Philippines. For fans who have missed her presence, this isn’t just a return to the small screen; it’s a bold transformation of a versatile artist ready to try a new genre.
What are people going to look forward to about Bela’s character in her primetime comeback?
“Nine years na ang huli. Sino Ang May Sala, 2017 or 2018 (shot), eight or nine years. It’s been a while. I’m a bit nervous siyempre kasi first time back, but I don’t na kasi what the viewing habits of the people now, especially I was gone for a while. So, I don’t know if ‘yung Gen Z ba ngayon, alam nila ‘yung impact ng “Primetime”? Kasi kami dati, it was a big deal for us to be told na you’re gonna be on primetime, even if you watch something on primetime, it was a big deal kasi parang ritual ng pamilyang Pilipino, diba? Manonood na kayo ng mga programa pagkatapos ng balita, it’s a family thing. So, for actors naman, kapag sinabihan kayo na your show is on primetime, it’s a big deal, kasi parang we made it. So, to be back on this time slot is very exciting and also nerve-racking, kasi our show is a hard show, we’re doing an action drama series. Medyo kinakabahan ako kasi konti lang naman kaming artista dito, and hindi kami big, big cast,” Bela shares.
“Oo nga, no? Ano nga ba ang aabangan sa character ko sa susunod? Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!” Bela jokes.
What made Bela accept this project as her comeback?
“I think I’ve just been wanting to do different things naman, kasi lagi na lang love story ang ginagawa ko kapag pelikula, so, sa TV, I guess this is my chance to try other things. Like, my last teleserye wasn’t a love story, for me anyway. My character there was a lawyer na may multiple personality disorder. I guess, mas nakakapaglaro ako kapag sa TV, lalo na maraming episodes. So, mahaba ang tatakbuhin ng mga characters, hindi katulad ng pelikula, naka-set kasi siya, kapag sinabing love story ang genre, love story lang. So, I get to play around more on TV. So, when they offered this one (Blood Vs. Duty), nung una, iba pa. Ms. JRB offered a love story. And then, this came along, this sounded a lot more exciting. Ako, I’m chasing the feeling of excitement right now.”
On the surprise chemistry, people should look forward to
“Naka-dictate (sa script) kung kanino kami dapat mapupunta, but something happened while we’re taping na unexpected. Parang unexpected chemistry, I guess. So, it went to a different direction. So, we’re following that right now before I go where I supposed to go. ‘Yun ang beauty ng TV, because we have a lot of episodes to play around, the story can change, the characters can change. So, hindi namin in-expect ‘yung magiging chemistry on set, with very simple things. Walang insinuations of love or kilig or anything, pero kinikilig sila sa set. So, tinuloy na lang.
So far in the aired episodes, Bela is seen inside the command center. Will we see Bela do action scenes in the future episodes, too?
“Hinihintay ko pa din, wala pa masyado. May mga konting eksena na kami as a team, ni Baron and Richard sa labas. In the series, hinahanap namin si Gerald, may mga scenes na kami na shinoot for week 2 and 3 na ‘yung unit talaga namin ni Baron and Richard trying to corner Gerald. Ang ganda nung pagka-shoot nun. May mga eksena kaming tumatakbo sa isang floor pero isang shot sa gilid. So, kapag pinanood siya, napaka-exciting. Ang galing, I’m surprised. Kasi kapag nandun ka, while you’re doing it, it’s tiring, it’s hard, madumi, mainit, pero kapag napanood mo na ‘yung finished product, it makes sense.”
On working with Richard Gutierrez and Gerald Anderson
“Katrabaho ko si Gerald sa Rekonek pero never kami nagka-eksena, producer ko lang siya doon. Si Richard nakatrabaho ko sa GMA before, we did the series Love and Lies. It will be my first time acting with Gerald. Wala pa kaming eksena pero alam ko, this week meron na ata, or ‘yung nabasa kong script meron na. I’m excited kasi maganda ‘yung ishu-shoot namin, very intense. I’m kind of scared.”
“Richard’s very easy to work with actually. More than working din kasi, we’re friends in real life. We’ve been friends for ten years. So, matagal ko nang kilala si Richard. Ninang ako ni Zion, ‘yung anak niya. So, I’ve known Richard for a while. He’s such an easy person, he’s very chill, walang masamang tinapay kay Richard, he’s easy to be with on set. Kapag minsan, meron siyang nakikitang hindi niya gusto, he’ll voice out pero once naman na nasabi niya na, ijo-joke niya na lang. He lets go of things right away, hindi siya mabigat kasama sa set. It’s nice to work with Richard, he’s meticulous with his job, very particular din siya sa vision niya sa show. We’re the same in a way na parang parehas kami na kailangan namin ng printed copies ng script. So parehas kaming bumili ng printer. Pareho kaming may bagong printer ngayon ni Richard. He’s very old school. I like that about him. He’s very, very good in this show.”
What makes Blood vs Duty relevant today?
“We’re seeing the conflict right now, happening all over the world. Our show is actually just scratching the surface. I think it’s good that the Filipino audience watch this, kasi magkakaroon ng awareness na may nangyayaring ganito, kahit sa bansa natin, and it has been happening for years. Hindi naman ito bagong balita sa atin, there has been conflicts. It’s good for us to inform ourselves also like where we should stand kasi minsan may misconceptions tayo. May mga grupo ng mga tao na ganito ang iniisip natin pero hindi, they’re very peaceful, mabait sila, pero we didn’t know kasi pinalaki tayo na ganito ang iniisip sa kanila. So, we’re hoping to break those pre-conceived notions with our show, or if not to break, we just want to inform na you’re allowed to think this way, you’re allowed to think that way. Ang kagandahan ng show, and for me, what’s so smart about the writing of the show is, every character here changes per week. So, if this week mabait itong character na ‘to, sa susunod na week siya ang kontrabida. May mga switches lahat, lahat may ulterior motive, lahat may pinagdadaanan. Something what you thought was bad, was actually just told to you na bad. Pero actually, meron siyang reason or justification. So, ang galing kasi ang daming layers ng writing ng show. Sana maitawid namin kasi ang ganda-ganda ng pagkakasulat.”
‘Blood Vs. Duty’ is now streaming on Netflix and iWant, and available on free TV via Kapamilya Channel, AllTV, A2Z and Kapamilya Online Live.
Watch our coverage from the pocket interview with Bela Padilla: