Give Xyriel Manabat her flowers. She constantly shows off her acting prowess as Roxy in teen drama ‘Senior High’.
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Xyriel Manabat’s acting on teen drama Senior High has consistently been going viral, shining a light on her talent that fills a screen, and bringing her to the fore of an industry of young actors cementing their stature in pop culture.
The 19-year old Xyriel plays Roxy Cristobal, Sky’s (Andrea Brillantes) best friend along with Roxy’s boyfriend Tim (Zaijan Jaranilla). They all attend the prestigious, mysterious, and intense Northford High and stick together in trying to get to the bottom of Sky’s sister’s death, while facing heaps of new drama themselves. The normally sweet and bubbly Roxy (who’s always rocking amazing hairstyles) is loyal, supportive, loyal, strong-willed, and can hold her own. Xyriel plays her with a controlled, decisive hand that’s let her earn her stars as a young actress taking on a fresh, relatable, and charming role. Scroll down for the moments where the young star ate down on Senior High.
THE BREAKUP
They’ve still got it. Child actors-turned-young adult professionals Zaijan Jaranilla and Xyriel had an “act-off” in this breakup scene from Senior High, which deservingly went viral for their acting, the palpable weight of the situation, and the heart-wrenching emotions they both delivered. The slow, subtle shift in Xyriel’s expression when she realizes something bad was going on was a Moment™️. The barely-ten-minute scene where Tim (Jaranilla) admits to Roxy that he kissed someone else and their consequent breakup is riveting, driven by their tears and the complexity of their respective perspectives.
ITLOG NA MAALAT
Running to Sky for some comfort, Roxy continues her breakdown and bares it all to her in both an emotional and humorous way. “Ano yung special? Itlog na maalat ba yun?!” will live rent-free in our minds for weeks. While we feel her pain (who of us hasn’t comforted a heartbroken friend before?), Xyriel and the show allows us to experience a bit of levity in the heartbreak.
SCUM KA RIN, EH, NO?
Roxy’s bravery and grit knows no bounds. As she stands up to Gino (Juan Karlos Labajo) on behalf of Sky, Roxy’s rage and indignation proves that a) she’s a tough girl you’d never want on your bad side, and b) Xyriel can channel perfectly-acted anger into her performances. Gino towering over her doesn’t faze her one bit—Sanya (Gela Atayde) even has to hold her back.
PAYBACK
Archie made a huge mistake. Roxy’s immediate rage and payback at creepster Archie is so satisfying to watch. She didn’t let him off easy, and the emotions swirling on Xyriel’s face even after the incident when she holds back Tim is intense and desperate. Roxy can hold her own, for sure, and Xyriel makes sure everyone knows it.
BAGSAK PRESYO
Xyriel is so sad yet so funny here. The normally lively live seller is being all depressed- even the music, which is usually upbeat, captures her brokenhearted state. #SeniorHigh #SHBroken pic.twitter.com/MWDu5Ayh58
— giordano's pizza (@deepdish1216) December 8, 2023
In yet another showcase of her ability to portray a mix of complex emotions like anger and heartbreak in this scene in a manner than makes you wonder if it’s okay to laugh, Xyriel as a heartbroken Roxy goes on another live selling session with simmering anger and dead-inside eyes. The two-time FAMAS winner held her own and chewed that scene up all by herself.
WHEN WE WERE HAPPY
Alexa, play We Were Happy by Taylor Swift. In this scene, we see Roxy be her bubbly, charming self as a liveseller and share a sweet moment with a jealous Tim—before everything went wild. Xyriel is likeable with her big smile and big movements. It’s no wonder she’s got “MINEs” for her products all around.
PASSING JUDGMENT
In a conversation between sisters that totally captured what it’s like to have a sister, Roxy and her Ate Ria (Rans Rifol) cycled through judgement and annoyance that was borne out of love and care. Xyriel was able to move from judgmental to thankful in a heartbeat. Taking bribes may have been a bad move, but Ria was willing to go above and beyond for her sister, and Roxy realized it, even if she disapproved.
ROXY IS A GREAT FRIEND
Let it be known throughout Northford High that one should never do Roxy wrong. Her worry for Tim as well as her genuine joy for her friends and herself for getting high grades show how personable the character is—caring, loveable, and kind. Roxy is a light in the often dark and intense series, and consistently increasing praise for Xyriel’s talent is well-deserved.
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