Kaye Abad recalls choosing family life in Cebu over peak stardom

MANILA, Philippines, August 21 ------ Actress Kaye Abad has no regrets about stepping away from showbiz more than a decade ago to focus on building a family, even at a time when her acting career was at its peak. Kaye made the decision to prioritize her personal life despite receiving major projects from ABS-CBN, including opportunities to take on lead roles in teleseryes.

The actress said she had already envisioned herself becoming a wife and mother when she was just 18 years old. “Sabi ko, parang nakikita ko na hindi na siguro ako mag-aartista. ‘Yon ‘yong lagi kong sinasabi. I really wanted to be a housewife,” Kaye said in her interview on “KC After Hours.” Her decision eventually led her to marry “Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up” runner-up Paul Jake Castillo and settle down in Cebu.

Kaye said she enjoys the balance Cebu offers, allowing her to experience both city life and a more relaxed lifestyle. “I like it (in Cebu) because if you want a city life, there’s a city life. If you want a beach and relaxing life, malapit lang din,” she said. She also credited her mother as one of her inspirations in choosing family life, saying she grew up witnessing how her mother loved, cared for and served their family.

Despite her fulfillment as a wife and mother, host Carmina Constantino asked Kaye if she ever regretted walking away from her career, particularly because she was already enjoying significant success at the time. “In terms of personal, alam mo kasi ‘yon na talaga ‘yong pinagarap mo dati, but the career, and the energy you put into the craft, hindi ka ba nanghinayang?” Constantino asked.

Kaye was firm in her answer. “Hindi ako nanghinayang. Katulad ng sinabi ko kanina, nasa peak ako ng career ko when I left. I did ‘Two Wives’ na nag-hit. That’s why they said balik lang. They even offered me another show,” she said. Kaye recalled that “Two Wives” marked an important milestone in her career because it was her first time headlining a teleserye. “First time kong nag-lead that time for teleserye. Sabi nga kinausap nila ako na, ‘Huwag. Sayang, Kaye. Ito na ‘yon. Nandito ka na. Ikaw na ‘to. Bida ka na.’ Sabi ko, hindi talaga,” she added.

Kaye took a break from showbiz following the success of “Two Wives,” which aired in 2014 and 2015. She eventually made a brief return to television in 2019 through a guest appearance in ABS-CBN’s daytime drama series “Nang Ngumiti ang Langit.” Despite stepping away from the spotlight, Kaye has continued to make occasional appearances in the entertainment industry while focusing primarily on her family life in Cebu.

In May 2026, Kaye also opened up about a major personal challenge when she revealed in a birthday vlog that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her decision to prioritize family over a thriving acting career remains one she continues to stand by.

Source: philstar.com