Kapuso star Kris Bernal debuts on the cover of a popular men’s magazine to finally come out of her shell to show a side of her personality unbeknownst to people who still see her as sweet and innocent.
The 27-year-old actress is the latest cover girl of FHM Philippines, it’s a collaboration that a lot of the magazine’s loyal readers have been waiting for years to happen.
“Handa na ako sa pagbuhos ng negative comments. Pero tinanggap ko rin ang imbitasyon niyo to do this kasi curious din ako sa kung ano ang sasabihin [ng mga tao]. I really want to break the box people put me in. Gusto ko rin malaman nila na, ‘Hey, Kris can do meatier roles…she can be edgier and more daring,” Kris tells the magazine.
Kris started in show business when she joined Starstruck in 2006 and won as the Ultimate Love Team with Mart Escudero. She became part of numerous GMA Network shows including Boys Nxt Door, Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, and Dyesebel.
Although she started in showbiz with Mart as her partner, she garnered more attention when she was paired with Aljur Abrenica. The two starred in their first afternoon series Sine Novela: Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin? in 2009 and a primetime drama series All My Life in the same year. Since then, Kris has been playing wholesome roles including her most recent TV projects like Hiram Na Alaala and Little Nanay.
Two years ago, she started shedding her “tweetums” image when she did a photo shoot for “Muse Philippines,” an online photo magazine, which features modern, brave, and inspirational women. In an interview after feature went up online, she was asked if she would dare to appear on FHM cover. Her answer was succinct: “I’m still too young for such bold move.”
As Kris matures physically and professionally, she also recognizes her limitations. She admitted in an interview with FHM that amid her efforts to become a versatile actor, she’s being limited to wholesome roles due to her petite frame and to the image she had established when she joined showbiz more than a decade ago.
“She finally decided to say yes to FHM for that very reason—to show the public that she has what it takes to make it as a mature actress. Even if it meant ruffling a few more feathers, which she initially felt when she started posting about her newfound liberation on social media earlier this year,” FHM feature story quotes.
True enough, the actress started spreading good vibes on social media, posting photos of herself looking comfortable in her own skin. In a photo shoot in Pundaquit, Zambales in March, the actress treated her fans to sneak peak of her latest project with photos of her wearing two-piece bikinis. In one of the posts, she said, “This is exactly the point in my life where I need to ditch the excuses and start being an adult.”