Kira inaming hindi pa ramdam na sikat siya, bibida sa pelikula kasama si LA!

Over the moon ang nararamdaman nina LA Santos at Kira Balinger sa upcoming movie nila na Maple Leaf Dream na ididirek ni Benedict Mique (Darna).

Understandable dahil first time nilang magbibida sa pelikula na sa Canada nakatakdang mag-shooting sa April.

Produced ang Maple Leaf Dream ng Lonewolf Films with JRB Creative Production and Star Magic.

Kaya ngayon pa lang ay naghahanda na sina LA and Kira.

Nag-i-emerse na sila sa mga character.

Gagampanan nila ang papel ng dalawang kabataang lumalaban sa buhay para magkaroon ng magandang buhay sa Canada na paborito ngayong puntahan ng mga Pilipinong naghahanap kumbaga ng greener pastures o bansang magbibigay sa kanila ng favorable / beneficial way of life na dati ay Amerika ang laging target.

Matagal din itong hinintay ni Kira.

Ramdam niya na sa pelikulang ito ay maipapakita niya ang husay niya bilang actress.

Ito ay dahil kahit marami na siyang nagawang teleserye pakiramdam niya ay hindi pa siya sikat.

“Honestly hindi po ako kilala like I’ve done a lot of seryes. I’ve done a lot of like ‘yung short series pero hindi pa rin ako ganon (sikat), and that’s ok. There are perks of being an underrated artist. So to be chosen for such a big project like this po, sobrang nakakabigla, nakaka-‘uy management and creatives, they believe in me, they believe in LA.’ They saw potential in us kahit na hindi kami ganon (sikat),” pag-amin kahapon ni Kira sa ginanap na story conference ng gagawin nilang pelikula.

Very vocal siya na nakakaramdam siya ng frustration minsan o takbo ng mga pangyayari bago itong Maple Leaf Dream.

“Iba ‘yung frustration, ‘bakit, why am I not getting this? Alam ko naman I’m working hard. I’m doing everything that I can.’ ‘Bakit iba yung napipili? Bakit parang ‘yung hindi naman nag-work hard, siya ‘yung napili?’ Honestly hinanakit, ‘yan ang… hindi naman sobrang hinanakit, pero thoughts lang ng ibang artists na hindi masyadong binibigyan… ‘bakit palagi ‘yung sikat? Like why not give chances to others na sobrang nag-workshop and everything’ pero ako po I believe in God’s good time. And hindi naman po fame ang habol ko. I love the craft. And however long it takes I will stay.

“Pero napapagod, syempre tao lang. And when you keep punching and punching, you have to rest. Minsan nakaka-down pero you have to stand up again and go back to the reason why you want this,” tuluy-tuloy niyang paliwanag tuwing pumapasok sa isip niya lalo na nga’t sa bilang niya ay nine years na siya sa showbiz.

Pero kelan niya na-feel na hindi pa siya sikat?

“Always. I always feel this pero hindi naman po siya bad thing para sa akin gaya po ulit ng sabi ko I’m not in this for the fame because fame comes and goes but your love for the craft that would keep you in this industry for a very very long time gaya po ni Meryl Streep, my goodness.

“Ako I don’t want to do... I’m this person na I need to meet new people. I want to experience the lives of others, you know. It’s such a blessing to put in their shoes to be given that opportunity to showcase kung paano ‘yung buhay ng isang chef, kung paano ‘yung buhay ng isang OFW. With all of those roles that I get to play, may natutunan ako tungkol sa life na ok I’m just Kira but I know stuff about being an OFW. I know stuff about being a rich kid. I know stuff about being a superhero, Luna. So ayun, it’s very fun.”

Kaya sa pelikulang ito, gagawin niya raw ang lahat-lahat.

“Una po sa lahat, hindi ko po sinasaulo. I don’t like to think about it kasi ‘yung pressure, it’s not… parang I’m so incredibly grateful that management has looked my way but I don’t want to put that in my head because parang mag-iiba ‘yung reason ko. Parang ok, management is, you now, betting on me. I gotta do this because, you know, I gotta give back to them and stuff. I want to do this, purely because I love what I do but it’s such a bonus when people like management, creatives, production, they believe in you. So ‘yun po ‘yung motivation ko, of course. It’s a craft. Parang if I do not do my best, it’s just disrespectful to the craft.”

Samantala, inamin din Kira sa nasabing interview na ina-idolize niya si Liza Soberano?

“Opo. I’ve always been vocal na siya po talaga ‘yung idol ko. I believe she’s very hardworking person. And grabe if you see her work, ako, this is just my own opinion, I like how she acts. I like what her eyes look like when she’s feeling the emotions.”

Anong role ni Liza ‘yung gusto mong gawin?

“Forevermore, diyan po talaga na-feel ko ‘yung sobrang genuine niya na taga-Benguet siya, picking strawberries and everything. She was so adorable with her role. And wala, hanga rin ako kasi, to be able to act in those conditions, from what I have heard po, they were locked in po sa location na ‘yon, if I’m correct. It’s hard, as an ‘artista,’ you know, we need our stuff, kaartehan. So to be able to just be stuck there, grabe it’s also a sacrifice. ‘Yun po talaga ‘yung role na tumatak sa akin,” kumpisal pa ng Kapamilya actress na aminado ring nangangarap magkaroon ng career sa Hollywood kung magkakaroon ng chance.

Nagkatrabaho sina Kira at LA sa Darna at doon nakita ni Direk Benedict ang kanilang potential na magtambal sa pelikula.