FOR BARBIE FORTEZA, IT TAKES COURAGE TO PLAY KONTRABIDA

BARBIE FORTEZA HAS AGAIN DISPLAYED her versatility and range in acting — genre and character-wise — via the film "Kontrabida Academy"

- JERRY DONATO

Described as drama, comedy, and camp by the streaming platform Netflix, it has become the playground of the actress to traverse the usual dichotomy of acting — bida (protagonist or hero) and kontrabida (antagonist, villain) — and deliver an extended take on the latter.

"It's my second (time)," answered Barbie on playing villainess to the question by this paper in a recent roundtable group chat. "Yung isa yung guest lang sa 'Heartful Café' (the first time was when I had a guest role in 'Heartful Café')."

In the primetime series, she played the sophisticated girlfriend named Cors of a café owner and co-investor. But in "Kontrabida Academy," she is first introduced as Gigi, a devoted and loving daughter and girlfriend who works in a samgyup restaurant.

Through some fantastic and mysterious "portal" or connection via a television set, Gigi becomes Gia and enrolls in reel-to-real life courses to tap and unleash the "kontrabida" in her.

From there, one sees the character's fierce transformation and heartfelt reflection on being a hero or villain in life.

"I really admire them because it takes a lot of courage to step into the villain shoes, di ba?," shared Barbie about actors who have embarked on playing such an engaging and captivating character at some point in their careers.