'Ako rin po lumalaban': Yassi Pressman confesses action role made her join 'Black Rider' 

MANILA, Philippines — Yassi Pressman wanted to do the action scenes herself and not just be a passive character which led her to accept the role on the upcoming action series starring Ruru Madrid, "Black Rider." 

Yassi joined the cast of the show that will premiere tomorrow, November 6, after "24 Oras" on GMA-7's primetime block. It is going head-to-head with another action series, "FPJ's Batang Quiapo," starring Coco Martin, who was her leading man on "FPJ's Ang Probinsyano." 

"Si Vanessa po kasi, sobra akong na-excite kasi matagal ko na rin pong gusto na magkaroon ng action series na ako rin po lumalaban," the actress said during last week's press conference for the show. 

Vanessa is a petty thief with a dark past, which is connected to the notorious syndicate called Golden Scorpion.

"Si Vanessa, napaka-palaban din po. Gusto ko yung pagkakabuo nila (sa pagkatao niya) na galing siya sa isang napakahirap na pinagdadaaan, from a very dark past na kinailangan niya pong takasan. Pero hindi po tumigil doon 'yung mga pagsubok na dumating sa kanya. Siyempre lahat naman tayo dumadaan sa mga pagsubok sa buhay. Siya rin po at dahil po doon, kinailangan niya pong maging snatcher," she added. 

Yassi started out as an aspiring dancer in her early days, when she was mostly seen on GMA-7 musical variety shows such as the defunct "SOP" and "Party Pilipinas." She also starred on the youth-oriented show "Tween Hearts." 

In 2016, she transferred to ABS-CBN and appeared as one of the housemates of "Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7." In the same year, she was cast as the leading lady of Coco Martin on "Ang Probinsyano." 

"It's a role na hindi ko pa po nagagawa, very different from the usual. Sa mga pelikula na sweetheart or sunshine. Ito po si Vanessa, kapag napikon, nananapak po siya. 'Yung ganon pong klase na angas ng babae," Yassi said. 

The actress explained that her return to GMA is like going back home to a place where one started. 

"You don't forget the place na saan ka galing, 'di ba?" she said, adding that an anecdote where she met her "Black Rider" co-star Ruru when she was only 14 years old. 

"Naalala ko nu'ng pumupunta ako rito, nu'ng 14 years old lang po ako at nagka-kilala po kami ni Ruru at nagka-trabaho po kami, gusto ko po talaga maging dancer, dancer lang. Hindi ko inakala na darating din 'yung mga panahon na mabibigyan din ako ng pagkakataon na maging artista at maging leading lady. I'm very, very grateful and excited to be Ruru's leading lady naman ngayon," Yassi said. 

Apart from Ruru and Yassi, "Black Rider" also stars Matteo Guidicelli and Jon Lucas, with the special participation of Kylie Padilla. 

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