MANILA – Former child actress Xyriel Manabat is still in disbelief that she was cast in the upcoming ABS-CBN crime drama series “Dirty Linen.”
"Sobra po [akong hindi makapaniwala]. Hindi ko rin po kasi ine-expect na mami-miss ko [ang pag-arte] ng ganito,” she told Push in an interview.
“Kasi kampante po ako dati na 'Ah normal life na.' Tapos ngayon, bumabalik po ako. Grabe ko po pala talaga siya na-miss and grabe ko siya kine-crave," she added.
Now that she’s back, Manabat said she could not help but look back at her experiences as a child actress.
"Sobrang overwhelming po, bumabalik po ang lahat ng memories ko noon nagta-trabaho po ako noong bata po ako. Sobrang nakaka-excite and mixed emotions po talaga. Parang may pressure kasi sobrang grabe po 'yung feelings ko,” she said.
Nonetheless, Manabat has no regrets that she lived a simpler life when she was outside the showbiz limelight.
“Happy po ako na nahabol ko po 'yung mga na-miss ko noong bata ako since maaaga po ako nag-work like nakapag-school po ako ng dire-direcho and nakagala po ako ng wala po akong iniisip na schedule. Nakakagising po ako ng tanghali ng wala akong iniisip na may-taping ako ng maaga and may pull-out ako ng ganitong oras. Siguro na-miss ko 'yun and parang regular life," she said.
Manabat started her showbiz career after joining Star Circle Quest in 2009. She was last recently seen in the ABS-CBN series "Wildflower" as the young Lily/Ivy Aguas.