A throwback photo was flashed on the LED screen; and the audience was quick to recognize the ladies in the picture as Lea Salonga and Kakai Bautista. As revealed in the December 12 episode of TWBA, Kakai worked as a wardrobe assistant to Lea in 2000 before entering showbiz. Her role includes ironing and washing the singer’s costumes for the musical play “They’re Playing Our Song”.
The Dental Diva shared more anecdotes about the experience. For instance, Kakai was stunned when Lea suddenly undressed in front of her when she was taking the superstar’s body measurements. In another occasion, Kakai sang “On the Wings of Love” in front of Lea after giving in to her colleagues’ teases. Lea’s mother, Ligaya then quipped that Kakai was a threat to her daughter.
Years after, an unexpected reunion happened when Kakai, alongside her best friend Maja Salvador, watched one of Lea’s performances abroad. The international Broadway singer introduced Kakai to her foreign co-actors and said that the girl who was in-charged of her wardrobe has become a superstar. Kakai recalled that she almost shed tears of joy upon hearing Lea’s statement.
Kakai also reacted to the bashing she gets due to her dental appearance. The talented comedienne admitted that she was often affected with the insulting words at first but she later on managed to embrace her uniqueness. No one else in showbiz possesses a smile like hers, she added.
When asked who between Ahron Villena and Mario Maurer gave her more heartache, Kakai revealed that she had different levels of relationship with the two actors. She admitted that the one with Ahron was more painful since they had a deeper bond which she described as something almost close to a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. Meanwhile, she also fell for Mario’s realness as a person but they eventually stopped communicating with each other. Still, she remains friends with Mario’s brother, Marco Maurer.
Kakai launches her book entitled “La Na Bye”, a collection of ‘hugot’ lines and poems. Kakai discovered her gift of writing in high school where she would turn her random musings into literary works.
In the Fast Talk segment, Kakai said she would love to be with Piolo Pascual when trapped in an island; and with Alden Richards when stuck in an elevator. If given a chance, she would like to become Kathryn Bernardo for a day because of the Kapamilya actress’ simplicity.