Actress Kira Balinger said that, in the two years since she shot the romantic drama “Chances Are, You and I” with Kelvin Miranda, the two of them “did not talk at all.”
“It was best that we didn’t at the time, that we healed first. We just chose to let time pass and not react to what people were saying about us because they weren’t true, anyway. That’s why we can show up better now, because we took that time away from each other,” Kira told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent interview.
Shortly after filming, Kelvin’s girlfriend at the time, social media influencer Roselle Vytiaco, accused him of cheating on her with Kira, even posting screenshots of what she claimed were proof of the two actors’ romantic involvement.
Kelvin denied this during the recent media gathering to promote the theatrical release of “Chances Are, You and I.” The two began working on the film in November 2021 in Manila, then in February 2022 in South Korea.
“We’re OK. As colleagues, we both show up for work. I can say that we’re both professional when it comes to handling our jobs. This is a beautiful film. Direk Catherine (Camarillo) and her team gave their all for this movie. It’s only right that we show up for them as well,” declared Kira. “Kelvin and I are friends now. I don’t think we could do this together if we weren’t, if we still have issues with each other—that would be hard.”
When asked to recall the first time she spoke with Kelvin again, Kira said: “When we saw each other again to discuss the promo, there was tension. I didn’t know how he would react. I also didn’t know how I would react. Was I really over it? Am I healed or am I just distracted? Now, I can really say that it’s done already. I chose to forgive and move on because that’s the right thing for me to do.”
‘This is work’
However, she refused to answer whether or not she is in a relationship at the moment, adding that her romantic status has nothing to do with the project. “This is work and this is a responsibility,” she pointed out.
Kira explained that Korea is an important element in this story written by Ellis Camarillo. ”A lot of the story revolves in our being in Korea, our adventures there. Maybe that’s where we fall in love or find something to grieve about. It just fits perfectly with our story. The lives of the two characters merge perfectly in Korea,” she explained.
“Korea is so beautiful. The people we worked with there were so professional. Our Korean counterparts were so disciplined that I really wanted to step up my game and do my best,” she said.
Kira claimed that acting in the cold was the most challenging. “There were very heavy scenes that required us to cry. I can say that I was able to unlock higher levels of acting when I was there. It was a job, so whatever happened, I need to show up and deliver,” she said.
Similarities
Kelvin plays Soleil “Sol” Sikat, a guy who is terminally ill and burdened by a bleak disposition in life. Kira plays Gabi Sinag, who, despite her tumor diagnosis, remains optimistic.
Kira said work for her was made easy because she and Gabi are so similar. “I consider myself a happy person. I share the same beliefs with Gabi that life is beautiful and should be cherished every day,” she pointed out. “The challenge in portraying Gabi was in the ability to express the right emotions. How am I supposed to express an emotion that I’ve never felt in real life? But that’s the beauty of being an actor. With the help of Direk Cathy, I was motivated to do my best.”
Kira said Gabi has a lot to teach the audience, especially in terms of dealing with death. “Gabi is very bubbly. She is the type of person who hides her pain so she won’t be a burden to others. I learned from Gabi that you have to at least try to express your feelings whether good or bad. I’m like that—I don’t like sharing my burdens with other people because I know everybody else around me is going through something, too. It was hard for me to go through my pain for this role, but I felt better as a person and as an actress after.”
Kira then said she was aware that Kelvin had a difficult time letting go of his character. “This was because Sol’s personality is kind of dark. On the other hand, I want to be Gabi more because she is super optimistic. I admit, there were times when I could be happy, but I still choose to be blind about it,” she said.
“Chances Are, You and I” is produced by Pocket Media Productions Inc. in partnership with Happy Infinite Productions Inc. It started screening in theaters nationwide on May 29.
