From being Kuya’s beloved housemates in “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition,” Kira Balinger and Xyriel Manabat are now taking things to the next level as they star in the upcoming mystery-drama series “The Secrets of Hotel 88.” Before the show officially takes flight, the two graced Kapamilya Chat last February 17 to share more about the project and their exciting new roles to watch out for.
After giving us a quick glimpse of what to expect from their series, Kira and Xyriel gamely took on the “Secrets of Hotel 88 Revealed” challenge. In this segment, they were shown photos of their fellow cast members and asked to share which qualities of each character they admire and which ones they don’t---all while speaking from the shoes of their own characters from the series.
For their first pick, they drew Dustin Yu, who plays Edward. Speaking as her character Chesca, Xyriel revealed that the trait she wouldn’t like about Edward is his vanity. “Ayaw ni Chesca ng ganon, baka okrayin niya si Edward,” she quipped, staying true to her character’s voice.
Taking on the role of Trixie, Kira next pulled out the photo of Josh Ford, who plays Justin in the series. “Ang ayaw ni Trixie kay Justin, ang tigas ng ulo nito,” she remarked, adding that Justin’s cocky nature is something Trixie doesn’t appreciate. On the flip side, Kira herself admires Justin for being family-oriented and for his strong love for his family.
Kira’s next pick was AZ Martinez as Sari. “Ang pinaka gusto ko dito kay Sari, ang bakla niya. Kung nakita n’yo sa trailer, ang ganda niya. Pero siyempre, ang naggaganda-gandahan lang baka may [sikreto] ’yan,” she said. Kira added that Sari is her “happy pill” in the series, even noting that there’s nothing she dislikes about the character.
Speaking as Chesca, Xyriel shared that what Chesca likes about Sari is how relatable she is. “May mga input siya na [mapapasabi ka] ng ‘oo nga,’” she explained. On the other hand, Chesca dislikes Sari’s tendency to be gullible.
Wrapping up the challenge, their final pick was Mika Salamanca, who brings life to the role of Luna. As Chesca, Xyriel revealed that although she hasn’t shared many scenes yet with Luna, one trait Chesca would admire is her feistiness. On the other hand, Chesca would dislike Luna to clash with her half-brother, Kiko (Will Ashley). “Ayaw kasi ni Chesca na inaaway si Kiko. Feeling ko may mga something na aawayin ni Luna si Kiko. ‘Pag nangyari ’yun, aawayin ni Chesca si Luna,” she explained.
Meanwhile, speaking as Trixie, Kira admitted that what she likes about Luna is her sneakiness. “I don’t have scenes with her yet, pero while reading the script, maparaan siya. To get what she wants, she will get what she wants. Ganon,” she explained. Kira also teased that viewers should watch closely how the series will unfold when it comes to their characters.
Get ready to unfold the mystery with Xyriel and Kira in the upcoming series “The Secrets of Hotel 88,” premiering February 23 on iWant, with episodes streaming seven days ahead of free TV.