AC Bonifacio has dazzled us with her moves on the dance floor and her powerful vocals, but in "High Street," she has also showcased her acting talent. As the hacker/spy Nikki Romero/Castrodes, AC has captivated audiences with her fierce portrayal of a character tangled in a web of deception and villainy. With the series wrapping up its final episodes, Kapamilya Chat gave AC the chance to revisit her standout scenes and share her thoughts on the moments that defined Nikki’s journey. How does she rate her performance? Let's find out!
Kapamilya Chat first asked AC to review the part where her character, Nikki, and her partner-in-crime Wesley (Harvey Bautista), who is later revealed to be her adoptive brother, successfully infiltrate Sky (Andrea Brillantes)’s workplace, ON Q. Here, Wesley is visibly captivated by Sky, almost mesmerized as he watches sweat drip down Sky's neck. “He was almost drooling,” as AC puts it. It turns out his mission to infiltrate ON Q wasn’t just about following orders from their mom, the main villain Tori (Dimples Romana), or keeping an eye on Sky as part of Tori’s revenge plan—it was also driven by his secret obsession with Sky.
The ‘sweat’ moment leads to a heated confrontation where Nikki threatens to report Wesley’s behavior to Tori if he doesn’t stop, pushing Wesley over the edge. In a fit of rage, he lashes out at her, accusing her of meddling and angrily telling her to leave.
Reacting to that scene, AC was impressed by how convincingly Harvey manifested Wesley's obsession with Andrea's character. “Harvey did such a great job portraying what he needed to portray. That’s why a lot of people were cringing and grossed out by him. He played it so well,” she praised her co-star.
She went on to share that this particular scene was Nikki and Wesley’s first major confrontation, and they both found it thrilling. “When we were shooting that, I told Harvey, ‘Let your anger out. Do what you need to do with Nikki, so we can really show something different in our connection.’ It was a really great scene to shoot… We’re really proud of that moment,” she added. As for her rating of the sequence? A solid 8 out of 10.
As Dimples Romana’s children in the story, AC and Harvey embraced the challenge of acting alongside the seasoned actress. Viewers were completely hooked during the gripping moment when Wesley started to defy Tori’s orders—orders that Tori insisted were her way of getting justice for their father, Reginald Castrodes, whom she had painted as the victim in their minds.
At that point, Wesley had already discovered his father’s dark secrets, especially after finding police records of his dad’s numerous rape case. Adding to that, he had spoken directly to Sky, who was a firsthand witness to one of Castrodes’ sexual assaults inside Northford High School. When Sky was still a student; she saw Castrodes take advantage of her classmate. During the heated clash, which escalated with Tori slapping Wesley, Nikki stood there watching, vulnerable and confused. Fear filled her eyes as she realized the truth, and, once again, Tori blamed her for their failed schemes. Nikki could see that Wesley was on the brink of turning his back on them, as he no longer trusted the plan or his teammates.
“Everything felt so real in that moment ‘cause that’s when everything started to crash for Nikki, Wesley, and Tori, na ang dami ng palpak and then everything else was being blamed to me… It was like, ‘I can’t lose these people.’ So, it was such a beautiful scene to shoot and watch,” AC reflected on the enthralling back-and-forth. Pleased with how genuine Nikki’s emotions appeared, she rated the scene 8 out of 10.
For AC, her performance feels most natural when she conveys emotions through her eyes and gestures, especially given her difficulty with speaking fluent Tagalog. However, she acknowledges that her Tagalog delivery has significantly improved in "High Street."
Meanwhile, review the riveting quarrel among the trio, where Nikki is once again criticized for her failures, particularly after the man she hired sold them out to the police. Tori demanded that Nikki take responsibility for the entire crime they committed together. Hurt and frustrated, Nikki questioned why she was always the scapegoat, speculating that her status as an adopted child might be why Tori is more lenient with Wesley, her biological son.
“It was hard because it was a very long scene. I was showing a lot of different emotions. At first, I was okay, but then I started to realize, ‘Ako na naman. I’m already being called stupid. They’re already belittling me all the time. And now you want me to go to jail on my own?’ I think it was also the first time Nikki acknowledged that she was adopted and she blurted it out. She finally stands up for herself,” she reflected.
This was one of the final moments and most demanding performances she tackled in "High Street." Reviewing it again, she noted that while it was sometimes difficult to convey strong emotions, Dimples was always there to guide and support. Dimples helped her feel that their connection was genuine, which in turn brought out authentic reactions. She rates this performance 8 out of 10 as well.
Then came the time when Nikki was finally arrested and interrogated by PCOL Emil Concha (Art Acuña). As she emerged from the office, flanked by police officers, Archie (Elijah Canlas) was waiting, ready to hurl harsh words at her. Nikki, however, decided to lash out at Sky, who stood next to Archie. Here, AC had to perfectly balance hidden fear and her outward bravado. She remembered feeling anxious when she first read the script, worried about delivering the lines in Filipino and conveying the complexity of Nikki's emotions—both her inner pain. The impressive performance of Art only added to the pressure, making her feel as though she was truly being questioned by a real cop.
“There’s no action. There’s no movement. We’re both just sitting there and going line after line. It was so cool to do a scene with him like that because he puts his own thoughts into the scene and how he wants to deliver a line,” she said of her experience collaborating with the seasoned actor.
It was her first and last time working with Elijah, and her final day on set. While waiting for the cameras to roll, they had some time to chat, which made the shoot enjoyable. Even Director Lino Cayetano added to the fun through playful banter.
What awaits the "High Street" characters in "The Last Destination"? Don’t miss the final episodes leading up to the series' grand finale this Friday, airing on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5, and A2Z.