Kaila Estrada Is Always in Motion

Preview catches up with Kaila as she reflects on her recent on-screen successes.

Published on Jun 23, 2025

In the past few years, Kaila Estrada has portrayed a scorned wife, a serial killer, and a mercenary. Each of these roles required something different from the 29-year-old, who only began her on-screen career a few years ago. With each performance came resounding applause, both from casual viewers and avid fans who’ve all penned think pieces on how utterly impressed they are by her acting prowess.

Does such talent run through her veins, inherited from her artista parents? Or is she a natural chameleon, able to inhabit different bodies with ease and precision?

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PHOTO: Belg Belgica.

For Kaila, she’s simply a girl who likes trying new things. “I really want to experience everything. I want to experience different genres, I want to experience different roles. Because at the end of the day, it's gonna help me grow and improve as an actress,” she says in her Preview cover story last December 2023. At the time, people were still wondering, “Who’s that girl?” with her early breakthrough in Linlang. Fast forward to today, and more displays of her mastery of the craft later, Kaila remains in the same state of eagerness.

She says that, “it’s very fulfilling to know that there are people out there that appreciate the heart and hard work I’ve been putting into these characters..."

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Primetime viewers presently know the actress as Max Alvero, the tech expert in ABS-CBN action-drama Incognito. Concocting complex sieges and engaging in fight scenes, Max keeps a more unwavering facade than Kaila, who possesses a more endearing persona. But both women still wear their hearts on their sleeves.

“This role definitely challenged me physically… but aside from that, Max is a very stoic character, so I needed to find the right balance,” she explains. “Not overly-emotional but also not [appearing as] heartless. It’s also very refreshing because I feel like it was an opportunity for growth. Ultimately, I had a lot of fun.”

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PHOTOS: Belg Belgica

A character like Max in a story like Incognito was something Kaila manifested. Less than two years ago, an action flick a la Buybust was what she’d consider a dream role, and it seems to have manifested. When she was preparing to bring Max to life, she had to do a little self-introspection. As she does with any project she takes on, she posed a series of questions for herself to answer: “What does she value? What are her views on love, family, and career? What are her goals throughout this journey?”

The process of literally taking on a new life is an exercise in empathy for Kaila. “I like to focus on the character’s core,” she states. “I feel like when I’m able to answer those questions from my character’s perspective, it gives me confidence that I can fully step into her shoes.”

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PHOTO: Belg Belgica.

It’s this laser focus on building characters that also makes it difficult for her to let go of them. Separation anxiety is real, even for fictional personas. Kaila muses...

Outside of the screen and away from the cameras, she requires some time to decompress before she can fully move on. Months and months of clocking into work and living and breathing as a totally different person takes a toll on you.

So who is Kaila sans the drama? Well, in danger of being painfully cliche, she really is just like other girls. Detached from work, you’ll find her trying out new dishes and spending time with her closest kin and family. She lists down “wellness, art, astrology, and traveling” as her hobbies. “Whether it’s a quiet day [at home] or a spontaneous trip somewhere, I’m all about finding beauty in the little things,” she shares.

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PHOTOS: Belg Belgica

Many know that she started out as a model, and her skills as a muse are still as sharp as they were before. Against the art deco architecture of Escolta, Manila, she exhumed glamor, swathed in ensembles by visionary Filipino designer Ditta Sandico. Some models embody poetry in their motion, and for someone like Kaila, she can tell full narratives with every sway and pivot. Plus, she has a killer face card to match.

The horizon continues to promise many things for the rising actress, which could include a schmaltzy rom-com or an independently made, genre-bending indie film. Going international is something she mentions with intent, naming it as her next goal.

“It would be amazing to get recognition or box office success, but those would honestly just be a bonus for me at this point,” she says. “The experiences are what I’m really looking forward to.”

Photographed by Belg Belgica, assisted by Sarah Elali. Creative Direction by Markarvin. Styled by Roko Arceo with pieces by Ditta Sandico and jewelry from Jewelmer. Makeup by Luis Bunag. Hairstyling by Bryan Eusebio. Shot at the First United Building in Escolta, Manila.

Em is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're Preview's associate entertainment editor who's often spotted in cowboy boots and lemon-tinted sunnies.