MANILA -- Kapamilya actress Kim Chiu has taken on a bold and exciting new role as the latest calendar girl for a liquor brand.

The grand reveal, held Wednesday night, showcased a radiant and confident Chiu, who described the opportunity as a milestone in her career.

“I’ve never imagined for this to happen—early days in my career, parang imposible,” Chiu said.

“But here I am now. It’s something brave that I did this year. They think it’s about time for me to do this, and I embraced it—parang in-enjoy ko na every step of the journey. It’s a surprise for me to be able to do this, and I’m very grateful.”

Chiu shared that she prepared extensively for her stint, focusing on physical and mental readiness.

“More than physical preparation, it’s more on mental preparation kasi hindi naman talaga ako sanay to do this kind of photoshoot. Gusto ko lang magbigay ng something new to my audience, to my fans, and to experience something I never did. Scary but at the same time, yes!”

Despite her excitement, Chiu admitted to feeling nervous about the pictorial and photo release.

“Lahat, kabado talaga ako,” she revealed.

“Most especially today—nagising ako kaninang umaga, hindi ako nakatulog. Parang three hours lang tulog ko. Sabi ko matagal ako matutulog kasi big event tonight, pero hindi rin ako makatulog. Ang dami kong nararamdaman, pero after I performed my number kanina, I was relieved.”

Chiu also reflected on the experience as one of empowerment and self-love.

“We live in a time na everyone’s open-minded, everyone is capable of doing what they want,” she said. “It’s more than just being a calendar girl—it’s breaking barriers, embracing your confidence, and celebrating every step of my journey.”

During the interview, Chiu playfully shared a conversation with her co-star Paulo Avelino, with whom she’s currently shooting the film "My Love Will Make You Disappear" set for release in February 2025.

“Kagabi magkasama kami sa shooting ng pelikula namin,” Chiu recounted.

“Sabi niya, ‘Ready ka na ba?’ Ang sabi ko, ‘Ready ka na ba?’ Nag-congrats siya at nag-good luck kanina. Sana nakapagpahinga daw ako. Supportive naman siya, in fairness. Hindi ko pa lang alam kung nakita na niya 'yung mga pictures online.”

When asked how she thinks Avelino would react to the photos, Chiu laughed and said, “Syempre, proud siya! Siguro! Sana?"