Karylle opens up about personal revelations, dealing with bashers in ‘Manila Matriarchs’

Singer-actress and television host Karylle Tatlonghari is giving viewers a closer look into her life as she joins the cast of the newest reality series, “Manila Matriarchs,” streaming on iWant.

The series, which also features Joanna Pressler-Francisco, Myrza Sison, and Trisha Bantigue-Tsao, offers audiences a glimpse into the personal and professional lives of influential women in Manila, highlighting their friendships, challenges, and experiences beyond the spotlight.

For Karylle, joining the reality show meant stepping outside her comfort zone, particularly when it came to opening up about her personal life in front of the cameras.

“We were just being ourselves in front of a camera. Mahirap din siya kasi may mga part na may confessionals,” she shared.

Produced by an American team, the show gave each cast member a dedicated producer to help tell their individual stories.

“Siguro, a closer look and through a different lens,” Karylle said, describing what audiences can expect from the series.

The singer admitted that she was surprised by how much she revealed during filming, especially in conversations that became unexpectedly personal.

“I think I talked about some very personal stuff. Nagulat ako, I talked about it,” she said.

Karylle also acknowledged the challenges of navigating the boundaries between her public and private life, especially now that she has become more comfortable expressing her opinions through radio and podcasting.

“Sa buhay natin ngayon, nag-overshare na tayo. So, I’m on the radio, so I do Good Times in the morning, and then I do a podcast. So, more and more, you share this and that about yourself. Minsan, overshare,” she explained.

She added that her experiences have also made her more confident in discussing social and political issues.

“Siguro mas naging matapang ako sharing my views politically, for example,” she said.

Apart from sharing her personal journey, Karylle revealed that she missed several scenes with her fellow cast members while dealing with the passing of her father.

“I did miss a lot of the scenes na maraming mga ibang kababaihan from Manila. Kasi that was the time my dad passed away,” she recalled.

Despite her absence from some filming activities, the series will also feature a glimpse of her life in theater.

Meanwhile, Karylle also spoke candidly about handling online criticism, admitting that there are days when negative comments affect her more than usual.

“I would say, may days na mas vulnerable ka talaga. And on those days, I don’t check my phone. I close the accounts on my phone,” she said.

Instead of engaging with bashers, Karylle said she turns to her closest friends for support and perspective.

She explained that her longtime best friend often helps her process hurtful remarks by asking whether the criticism is true and why certain comments affect her.

However, Karylle emphasized that her bigger concern goes beyond personal attacks, particularly when online gossip and misinformation are used to influence public opinion.

“I always mention it kasi I know for a fact that they will use our love for chismis in a political way. So ingat-ingat lang tayo,” she warned.

The actress also urged Filipinos to become more conscious of their online habits, pointing out how engagement with gossip pages can contribute to the spread and profitability of misleading content.

“Once I click or if I’m reading it for too long, my algorithm already is on that page,” she explained.

“More than the bashing, I’m afraid of the algorithm taking over our country,” she added, expressing concern about its potential influence on elections.

Despite the risks of exposing more of her private life, Karylle said she remains excited for viewers to discover a different side of her through “Manila Matriarchs.”

“Hindi ko pa siya napapanood ng buo, but sabay-sabay na lang tayong magulat,” she said.