Kapuso star Barbie Forteza has recently attracted attention for her performance in the hit series ‘Pulang Araw,’ particularly for a kissing scene with co-star David Licauco.
The scene, featuring their characters Adelina and Hiroshi, has become a topic of debate among fans and critics.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Barbie confessed feeling slightly overwhelmed by the scene but remained committed to her role. However, she also revealed on the ‘Updated with Nelson Canlas’ podcast that she has faced significant backlash. Some netizens criticized her acting skills, claiming that her performance was lacking because she did not fully engage in the kissing scene.
“Maraming nagba-bash. Hindi daw ako magaling na actress kasi hindi daw ako nagpapa-kiss. ‘Yun pala ‘yung batayan,” Barbie said, addressing the online criticism.
Podcast host Nelson Canlas defended Barbie, stating that the impact of the scene is not solely dependent on physical gestures but also on the emotional connection and chemistry between the characters. He noted that even implied affection can be effective when portrayed well.
Barbie explained her emotional approach to the scene, saying, “Emotionally, ako, honestly, hindi naman mahirap i-motivate emotionally kasi very obvious ‘yung love ni Adelina and ni Hiroshi for each other. So lamanan mo lang talaga ‘yun ng restraint and ‘yung pagiging forbidden, kasi hindi talaga sila pwede, ‘yun.”
She further described the difficulty of playing a forbidden romance, noting, “’Yung gigil talaga e. ‘Yung ‘Bakit? Naging magkaibigan tayo dati, pero bakit hindi natin pwede mahalin ‘yung isa’t isa?’ Alam mo ‘yung ganu’ng pakiramdam na may mga tao na isa lang ‘yung nagmamahal, ‘yung isa hindi niya mahal ‘yung tao. Pero ang kaso kasi dito, parehas namin mahal ‘yung isa’t isa pero bakit hindi pwede?”
In the series, the character Carmela (Angelu de Leon) arranges a marriage for Teresita (Sanya Lopez) with Hiroshi, despite Teresita’s love for Eduardo (Alden Richards), adding to the emotional tension of Adelina and Hiroshi’s relationship.
When asked if she could handle a similar situation in real life, Barbie humorously replied, “Ah, wala.” David Licauco jokingly added that she would resort to a fight, saying, “Makikipaglaban na lang siya, barilan.”
Despite the criticism, Barbie remains dedicated to her craft and the emotional storytelling of ‘Pulang Araw.’
