From Dida to Intan: Kris remembers ‘kariton girl’ as ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ breaks records

For Kris Aquino, her short but pivotal role as a princess in “Crazy Rich Asians” caps her film career with a “magical happily ever after,” having debuted on the big screen nearly three decades ago as an “orphaned girl pushing a ‘kariton.’”

Aquino, 47, waxed nostalgic about her first-ever film role opposite the late Rene Requiestas in “Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo” in 1990, as she shared on Instagram Tuesday the box-office milestones of her latest acting project — “Crazy Rich Asians.”

Citing the local distributor of the Warner Bros. production, Aquino said “Crazy Rich Asians” has earned P110 million since it was released in the Philippines on August 22, or after one week in cinemas.

According to Aquino, the film adaptation of the Kevin Kwan book also broke box-office records in the Philippines. Its P82.7-million opening weekend haul is not only producer Warner Bros.’ biggest in 2018, but also the biggest all-time opening weekend for a foreign romantic comedy.

“Just thank you,” Aquino wrote, "not because of illusions about my contribution, but because my cameo appearance in a historically significant, phenomenally successful No. 1 Hollywood movie championing inclusivity for all Asians elevated Filipinos — one of us was chosen to be the only royal in the fantasy world of ‘Crazy Rich Asians.’”

She went on: “After portraying an orphaned girl pushing a ‘kariton’ in her first movie 28 years ago, capping that roller coaster ride of hits and misses to portray a Princess resplendent in her real-life family’s and democracy’s symbolic yellow, this girl was given her version of not just ‘the end’ but the magical ‘happily ever after.’”

The critical and box-office success of “Crazy Rich Asians” in the Philippines has brought relief to Aquino, who admitted in the same Instagram post that she was at one point “so stressed and anxious that my blood pressure was at hypertensive crisis level,” fearing that the film would perform poorly here.

She surmised she would have been “the logical punching bag and laughing stock,” if Filipinos didn’t receive the film as warmly as international audiences have.

A post shared by KRIS AQUINO (@krisaquino) on Aug 27, 2018 at 10:50pm PDT

“Then like a dream friends started sending me pictures and videos of all seats taken cinemas. I read in messages the spontaneous cheers when Princess Intan walked in,” she said.

(Spoilers follow.) As Princess Intan, Aquino portrayed a Malay royalty who had an entire row to herself in the so-called “wedding of the century” in Singapore, so she wouldn’t be bothered by other guests. Her part paved the way for a career-defining moment for protagonist Rachel, whose instant rapport with the steely princess appeared to leave a mark on Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), who at that point was disapproving of the US-raised Rachel for her son, Nick (Henry Golding).

A post shared by KRIS AQUINO (@krisaquino) on Aug 29, 2018 at 2:09am PDT

Though short, Aquino’s role made an impression with an enigmatic entrance that had the circle of Eleanor gossiping, and as she finally managed a smile while conversing with ostracized Rachel, her sole seat mate, during the wedding ceremony.

Aquino was not the only Filipino cast member in “Crazy Rich Asians.” US-based actor Nico Santos played a cousin of Nick who forms a warm friendship with Rachel. Another familiar face to the Filipino audience in the cast is Carmen Soo, a Malay actress who starred in the ABS-CBN teleserye “Kahit Isang Saglit” opposite Jericho Rosales in 2008.