Kris Aquino’s return to the spotlight may have been filled with smiles and her familiar on-camera energy, but behind the scenes, the television icon was quietly enduring intense physical pain.

Loi Villarama, popularly known as Mama Loi, shared a glimpse of what Aquino went through while filming her Netflix project, revealing how difficult the shoot became because of the actress-host’s health struggles.

“During the shoot, I saw how hard it was for her because ’yung rheumatoid arthritis talagang namamaga ’yung legs and pati ’yung buto,” Mama Loi shared.

Being close to Aquino during production allowed Villarama to witness the physical toll firsthand, particularly the swelling around her knees.

“I felt ’yung pag-usli nu’ng mismong buto on her knees na namamaga,” she recalled.

Despite what she was experiencing, Aquino reportedly remained determined to finish her work without allowing the pain to overshadow the moment.

“But she never complained, kahit hirap at pagod she was always in high spirits,” Mama Loi said.

Perhaps most striking for Villarama was Aquino’s ability to switch into professional mode once filming began.

“At ’pag nasa harap na ng camera, wala ka nang mahahalata na she’s in pain,” she added.

Aquino recently made her much-talked-about screen comeback through Netflix, appearing as the streaming platform’s “Chief Head of Insight and Kontent Analysis,” or CHIKA, after spending years largely away from television amid her health battle.

For longtime followers who have waited to see her in front of the camera again, Mama Loi’s account offers another perspective on that comeback: behind the polished appearance and unmistakable Kris Aquino presence was a woman pushing through a physically demanding day to return to the craft and audience that have been part of her life for decades.