MANILA - Known for her angelic face, model-actress Angel Aquino shared on Wednesday her story on how she became an effective kontrabida.

Aquino, who is portraying the role of Katrina in the afternoon series "And I Love You So," recalled her first experience as a kontrabida on "Tonight with Boy Abunda."

"All these kontrabida roles... paano mo ginagawa ito?” host Boy Abunda asked Aquino.

"I remember, before doing Vera (Aquino's role in "Magkaribal"), my very first kontrabida role was in "Minsan Minahal Kita," with Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez," recalled Aquino.

"Tapos, when they said, 'You're going to play the kontrabida against Ms. Sharon,' sino pa ba ang pwede kong maisip, I've always loved Cherie Gil. She was really my benchmark, my peg," Aquino explained.

However, Aquino quickly dismissed that she did not intend to be a "second hand, trying hard copycat" to the statuesque kontrabida.

"It's not that I wanted to be her. I can never be her. Nobody can copy a Cherie Gil, but somehow, I guess the nuances, mostly my nuances as a kontrabida, especially when I was starting were inspired by Cherie Gil."

Abunda pointed out that Aquino and Gil had become good friends. The two recently co-starred the Lav Diaz film "Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis," which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Asked if being a kontrabida is physically draining, Aquino was quick to answer in the affirmative.

"It is," she told Abunda. "When you're the inaapi, you're the one receiving it. Nakakapagod din siya, pero when you're the one who's on the offensive side, it really drains you! Kasi you have to put in so much more."

Aquino plays Katrina, the primary antagonist in Kapamilya Gold's "And I Love You So," which is currently in its final week of airing.