Pinoy showbiz fans rejoiced when they heard that Karylle bagged the lead role in Private Investigator (PI), a Singapore-based TV crime thriller last August 2016.
More than just a timely recognition of her acting prowess, the role was also a fitting personal triumph and career breakthrough for the recording artist and It’s Showtime host as it marked her initial foray in the Asian television circuit.
“I’m very excited that the show will finally air in Singapore!” Karylle exclaims.
“All the hard work, all the prayers, and the production team’s trust and confidence in me paid off well, and I hope that our Asian-based kababayans will watch it.”
Karylle plays Maia, a pole dancer/single parent cum private investigator caught in a web of lies and deceit in the one season (13 episode) series produced by Mediacorp, Singapore’s leading TV network.
She stars alongside other established Asian actors including Carl Ng, Vanessa Vanderstraaten, Kathiravan Kandavelu, Joyce Ng, Najib Soiman, Shane Mardjuki, Terence Tay and Kaidon Jinyan, The series is directed by Ian Seymour.
For her risque role as a pole dancer, Karylle donned blonde hair and revealing outfits, as seen in the three-minute trailer. She also took a challenging crash course in pole dancing under her Showtime dance colleagues. And as can be gleaned from the show’s intense, gripping action scenes, Karylle also underwent rigorous physical training.
Despite taking a leave from Showtime for almost two months for the shoot, Karylle never felt homesick as she was always in touch with her Singapore-based Filipino fans, most of whom work in the F&B industry.
She also enjoyed the frequent visits of hubby Yael Yuzon, her manager Arnold Vegafria, as well as her Showtime co-hosts.
PI marks Karylle’s third time to work in Singapore. In 2011, she played Maddie in “The Kitchen Musical” (along with Christian Bautista) which was shown in 19 countries via AXN and for which she got a Best Actress nomination at the 52nd Monte Carlo TV Festival. Then the following year, she played the role of Tala in “Point of Entry,” which, coincidentally was also produced by Mediacorp.
PI premieres in Singapore on January 9, 10:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday via Mediacorp Channel 5. The series will also be shown in other Asian countries.
Filipino televiewers based in the Philippines may also catch the episodes via: toggle.sg/pich5.