Kylie Verzosa: From Miss International to internationally acclaimed actress

Kylie Verzosa as Miss International 2016 and as best actress at 6th Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA)

Wala pang limang taon simula noong nag-crossover si Kylie Verzosa mula sa beauty pageant papuntang showbiz, nakatanggap na ito ng acting award, at international best actress pa.

Nitong November 5, 2022, nasungkit ni Kylie ang best actress trophy sa 2022 Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA) para sa Pinoy adaptation ng The Housemaid, produced by Viva Films, sa direksiyon ni Roman Perez Jr.

AS BEST ACTRESS

Mula sa pagiging diwata sa pelikulang Panday noong 2017 at fairy sa anthology TV series na Wansapanataym: Gelli In A Bottle noong 2018, malayo na ang narating ni Kylie bilang aktres.

Kylie Verzosa in Panday

Hindi biro ang kanyang pinagdaaanan at transition from being a beauty queen to an actress.

“Mahirap pong pasukan ang isang industriya na you didn’t really started—coming in into acting as a beauty queen.

“One, there’s so many stereotypes and mahirap, dahil iba talaga yung discipline and yung practice. Ako, it took me a few years na mahasa talaga sa craft.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na, finally, all my hard work is paying off and na-acknowledge na ako ng isang award-giving body pa na nasa Dubai to celebrate a movie about the strength of the Filipinos.”

Personal na tinanggap ni Kylie ang kanyang trophy sa awarding ceremony na ginanap sa Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Sa kanyang acceptance speech na nai-post sa social media, aniya: “Six years ago when I won the international title for the Philippines, it was such a joyous moment for me.

“Today, I feel like winning another crown, and this time, for Best Actress.

“Nothing ever beats the feeling of winning something for your own country because of your own hard work.”

Sa kanyang Instagram post, ibinahagi niya ang kanyang video sa pagtanggap ng trophy niya sa nasabing event.

Ang caption ng Miss International 2016, “Dream come true. Such an honor to represent you again (Philippines).”

Ang kanyang ama na si Ari Garcia Verzosa ang una raw sinabihan ni Kykie ng magandang balita noong makumpirma na niya ito mula sa organizers.

“Tinanong ko talaga muna kung sure sila. Kung ako ba talaga yung choice nila na manalo kasi marami namang ibang aktres sa Pilipinas.

“At saka, ten kasi yung pinitch nila na films, ‘tapos nag-shortlist ng tatlo. Nung na-shortlist, happy na ako dun, e.

“Tapos nung sinabi sa akin na yung The Housemaid yung nanalo, ‘tapos ako yung nanalo, ‘Sure ba kayo diyan?’

“I really felt overhelmed. That was my friend from Dubai who greeted me.

“Yung unang-una ko pong sinabihan ay yung daddy ko po. Nag-send ako sa viber ng message, ‘Hey dad, I won.’ Sabi niya, ‘Congrats Kylie, you deserve it!’”

AS A CALENDAR GIRL

Limang araw makalipas ang victory ni Kylie sa Dubai, muli siyang “na-overwhelm” dahil pormal naman siyang inilunsad ng Tanduay rhum para maging 2023 Calendar Girl nito.

November 10, Huwebes, nang ginanap ang pormal na press launch ni Kylie as the new calendar girl sa Cities Events Place sa Sgt. Esguerra St., Quezon City.

Kylie Verzosa is Tanduay calendar girl

Sa nasabing launch, isa sa naging topic ay ang waistline nito.

“Naghulaan” pa ang mga reporters na dumalo.

Hagikgik ni Kylie, “Sabi po ng stylist ko, 23 inches.”

Kuwento pa niya, “Sobrang pinaghandaan ko po kasi ang endorsement na ito at grabe ang naging preparation ko in terms of my diet and workouts.”

Drinker o manginginom ba si Kylie sa totoong buhay?

“I’m just a social drinker, I drink socially. Hindi po ako yung walwal, hahaha… I’m a very responsible drinker.”

Paano siya naghanda to be the next Calendar Girl, considering na talagang “sexy” ang requirement ng image model nito?

“I really prepared for this shoot. I wanted to lose a little bit of weight. Grabe ang exercise ko, ang diet ko, I don’t eat pork.

“Grabe ang cardio [exercise] ko, I run, I bike, I box, I do yoga, sauna… Lahat-lahat, ginawa ko na for this shoot. I wanted to be in shape.

“Pero during the shoot, kumain talaga ako. Nag-pizza ako, burger… Kasi, I need energy for the shoot.”

Kylie Verzosa as Tanduay Girl
Samantala, sa nasabing pa ring launch kay Kylie bilang Tanduay Calendar Girl for 2023, hindi nakaligtas si Kylie na mag-react sa sinasabi ng media na “ka-level” na niya ang mga former Calendar Girls ng brand—sina Heart EvangelistaKC Concepcion, and Bea Alonzo.

Hayag niya, “It feels surreal to become a Tanduay Calendar Girl, especially if you consider all the strong and beautiful women who came before me.

“But siguro, we are different naman po in our own little ways… Kaya siguro they were chosen too, may mga characteristics rin sila, for each year, na bago.

“It feels great to be in their company. Pero sana, maramdaman ninyo kung sino ang taong nasa harapan ninyo, at wala talagang comparison,” pagtatapos ng actress-beauty queen.

2022: LUCKY YEAR

After ng contract signing with the liquor executives, natanong ng entertainment media si Kylie kung ano ang pakiramdam na sunud-sunod ang milestones sa buhay niya.

Sagot ng 30-year-old star, “Hindi ko ini-expect na ito yung mangyayari sa akin this year. I hope next year [ganun din].

“You know, they say na whatever you plant, you reap the fruits of your labors. So I’m hoping for even a better year next year.

“But for this year, I’m so, so grateful. So thank you so much, I’m really so overwhelmed.”

Dagdag ni Kylie, dahil ilang araw pa lang mula nang manalo siya sa Dubai, “Sobrang nakaka-fulfill, nakakataba ng puso.

“Hindi pa nga siya nagsi-sink in sa akin hanggang ngayon. Hindi pa talaga, kasi tuluy-tuloy yung flight, work, dire-diretso kaya hindi pa nagsi-sink-in.”

Siniguro naman si Kylie na wala dapat magbago sa kanyang attitude dahil sa acting award niya.

“…I’m the same person as who I was before. So hindi pa talaga nagsi-sink in, pero super happy ako at grateful ako sa lahat.”

Pero magiging choosy na ba siya sa pagtanggap ng roles at mas tataas ba ang kanyang talent fee?

“Siguro po, I’ve always been choosy with the work that I’ve been doing. Ever since, ganun po talaga ako. And I’m also very careful with the projects I accept.”

NO LOVE LIFE?

Open book naman sa showbiz na loveless si Kylie matapos ang tatlong taong relasyon nila ni Jake Cuenca..

Ang tanong, naniniwala ba siyang mahirap maging successful both sa career at love life?

”Feeling ko puwede siyang pagsabayin, hahaha!” tawa niya.

“Basta sinusuportahan ka sa love life, and you both complement each other.

“Pakiramdam ko po ay pwede naman, pero siguro sa panahon na ito, happy ako kung nasaan ako ngayon.

“Kasi, ang mga nanay nga, nanay na sila and nagwo-work rin, they’re supporting ang buong family.

“Pero okey pa rin ang careers nila kung anuman ang trabaho nila, kahit they are busy taking care of their families too. Sa panahon ngayon, kaya na naman ang ganoon.”