Karylle on 'Encantadia' successor Gabbi Garcia: 'I really love her'

Karylle and Gabbi Garcia are two actresses who are both known as Sang’gre Alena, the keeper of the water gem in the GMA-7 fantasy series "Encantadia."

The two were equally thrilled to have finally come face to face during a recent event.
The unexpected meeting happened on Tuesday night, November 8, at the launch of the Happy Skin X Disney limited edition makeup at Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

Karylle, who played the Alena role in the show’s original run in 2005, and Gabbi, the current diwata with a golden voice in its new version, were both guests at the event.

“Seeing her from afar, grabe, kinikilig na ako,” Gabbi told PEP.ph and YES! Magazine.

“Hindi ko in-expect na dito pa sa event na ito kami magkikita.”

“This is the first time I met her,” Karylle said in our separate interview.

“Super happy kasi we were supposed to meet up at a dinner that Direk Mark [Reyes] had set up. But she had a gig out of town, so hindi kami nagkita.”

Direk Mark is Mark Reyes, the director of Encantadia then and now, helped organize a dinner on October 20 for the actresses who gave life to the show’s four female lead characters.

Aside from Sang’gre Alena, there are Sang’gres Amihan, Danaya, and Pirena.

Present at the dinner were Iza Calzado and Kylie Padilla (past and present Amihan), Diana Zubiri and Sanya Lopez (past and present Danaya), Glaiza de Castro (present Pirena), and Karylle (past Alena).

Sunshine Dizon (past Pirena) and Gabbi Garcia (present Alena) were unable to attend the said event.

“I failed na makapunta kasi nasa Batangas pa ako,” Gabbi explained. “Among the four Sang’gres, kami na lang ang hindi nakakapag-meet.”

You can just imagine the excitement the 18-year-old actress felt when she finally met Karylle.

“Sobrang happy ako and kinilig ako kasi super sweet talaga niya,” she gushed over her predecessor.

Well, the feeling was mutual.

“She’s been so sweet,” Karylle remarked about her successor to the Alena role.

“Sometimes, when I miss out on a message that she sends me, my fans retweet it, so I see it for sure. She’s so sweet. I really love her.”

Meantime, the Alena character is missing in action in Encantadia, as she had earlier transformed herself into a turtle for her own protection and preservation.

“Nagpa-miss lang si Alena,” Gabbi quipped on what’s up with the diwata who has left behind her lover, Ybarro (aka Prinsepe Ibrahim), and their son Khalil.

“Malapit na siyang bumalik. Any time this month, babalik na siya. Abangan niyo ’yan, makakakita kayo ng mas level up na Alena.” - For more showbiz news, visit PEP.ph