Actress Yassi Pressman is back on GMA Network with an action-packed role in the series Black Rider. This is her first Kapuso project in eight years since Princess in the Palace in 2015.
Yassi is thrilled to play the role of Vanessa “Bane” Bartolome, a fighter with a complex and dark past. She is different from the usual sweetheart and sunshine characters that she has played before.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of an action series, na lumalaban din ako. And I’m so grateful that GMA allowed me to do so with Black Rider,” Yassi told Manila Standard Entertainment. “Bane is a badass character, and I’m excited to show the audience this new side of me.”
Pressman is also grateful for the opportunity to work with the Kapuso Network again. She noted the warm and kind atmosphere on set, and she is particularly excited to reveal “her other side.”
“When I was 14, I remember coming to GMA, aspiring only to be a dancer. I never thought I would become an actress, let alone a leading lady. So, I’m both grateful and excited for this opportunity to work with GMA again because I’ve learned that you never forget where you came from,” Yassi shared.
Ruru Madrid as Black Rider
GMA homegrown star Ruru Madrid plays the titular role of Elias Guerrero in Black Rider. He’s a motorcycle driver who becomes a vigilante. Ruru has undergone intensive training in hand-to-hand combat, motocross, and martial arts for the fight choreography in the series.
“Black Rider is a dream project come true for me,” Ruru said. “I’m so excited to share this with the audience because it’s a massive project that features artists from different generations. I’m honored to work with the actors I look up to,” he said.
Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, Ruru said that Black Rider is more than what he had hoped for as an actor.
“I always dreamed of becoming an actor, but when I finally became one, I realized that there was more to achieve,” Madrid said. “With Black Rider, I’m fulfilling my dream of becoming an action star and working with industry professionals I look up to. I promise to give my best in every project entrusted to me, hoping that my journey can serve as an inspiration to young people who feel like no one believes in them. Dream big, just like I did,” the 25-year-old actor added.
Black Rider promises thrilling action sequences that aim to elevate Filipino action while highlighting themes of family love and heroism in the face of adversity. Elias’s transformation from an ordinary motorcycle driver into a symbol of justice and hope for the people of Manila is sure to resonate with Filipinos.
The story also underscores the enduring popularity of motorcycles in the Philippines, a country with approximately 30 million motorcycle riders among its 100 million population.
The series is directed by Erwin Tagle, alongside master directors Rommel Penesa (Lolong) and Richard Arellano.
The ensemble cast includes Matteo Guidicelli, Kylie Padilla, Katrina Halili, Zoren Legaspi, Raymart Santiago, Gary Estrada, Raymond Bagatsing, Isko Moreno, Monsour del Rosario, Roi Vinzon, Rio Locsin, Gladys Reyes, Maureen Larrazabal, and Almira Muhlach.
The series also features comedians Empoy Marquez and Jayson Gainza, rapper Shanti Dope, social media personalities Pipay and Ashley Rivera, drag queen Turing, Sparkle artists Prince Clemente and Mariel Pamintuan, and the young love team of Ashley Sarmiento and Marco Masa.
Black Rider premieres tonight at 8:00 on GMA Telebabad, with simultaneous airing on Pinoy Hits and live streaming via Kapuso Stream. A delayed telecast will be available on GTV at 9:40.
