Cosmopolitan, August 2007
Tougher than she looks and wiser than her years, hotter-than-ever young actress Bea Alonzo bravely takes on grown-up dutires, admits to past mistakes, and maps out a future where she has it all.
Even without makeup and under the harshest light, her striking Eurasian features give away why Bea is one of the most sought after young actresses in the country. With her seeming perfection, naysayers are quick to assume, "fake 'yan." But in reality, she is as real as it gets--no camera tricks, no bullshit.
Public Property
Aside from that, tabloid rag readers will aslo be disappointed to know that Bea is still devoid of any diva affectations and that she's still bent on being a serious actress in the mold of her idol Maricel Soriano. "I admire her for being in total control of what goes on around her," Bea explains. "And when she says, 'no,' it's really 'no,' I still need to learn how to do that."
At this point in Bea's career, pretty much everything has been written about her: her Filipino mother and British father breaking up; her being discovered in a quaint beauty contest in Pasig back when she was 13 and still known as Phylbert Angellie Ranollo; her team-up with John Lloyd Cruz in Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay; her fear of dogs and love of chocolates; and her rumored budding romance with Mico Palanca.
Whether she likes it or not, Bea's life is examined by anyone and everyone from the most ruthless showbiz snoops to the average couch potatoes who idolize her. One wonders if she has managed to keep a part of herself from being dissected by showbiz pundits.
Tougher Than She Looks
Bea has come a long way from being a precociously talented 14-year-old ingenue with an unnerving ability to transform into someone else onscreen. Everyone's still talking about how the young Bea had to play a 21-year-old law student in her first ever prime time outing.Now--at 19 going on 20 and six movies and several sopa operas later -- Bea has only gotten better at fleshing out different characters. She's also gotten quite great at just being herself. The statements she makes now are so real, no-nonsense, sometimes even downright feisty.
Asked to make an assessment of herself now, she confidently says, "I can say that I've really matured a lot. On the other hand, I do miss the old me. I miss being innocent. At some point, you can't help but get jaded because of how some things are in the business. I became more emotionally guarded and determined na hindi talaga ako magpapalamon sa mga sitwasyon."
The last statement, of course, is indicative of how well Bea has dealt with the cutthroat world of showbiz, and that she's more than just a cliched pretty face.
"When I turned 18," she recalls, "I heard a lot of talk. They said iba na raw ako. At that point, I was still dealing with the transition into being an adult. I had to get used to added responsibilities. Maybe hindi lang talaga nila naiintindihan ang pinagdaanan ko. Eventually, I just decided to let them be. I thought, 'Well, this is me and I am changing right now so you have to accept me."
Self-Sufficient Star
This is an understandable plea from someone of her star status. Besides, if there's anyone who's entiteld to be cut some slack, it's Bea.
For starters, she has more on her plate than the typical 19-year-old. "I'm proud to be my family's breadwinner," she shares. "That's why I'm thankful for having this job. I work very hard to eventually have stable finances. I love that I earn enough money to support my family. I get up everyday and look forward to working. I never have this thought na mag-iinarte ako kasi ito ang trabaho ko."
Another thing also surfaces as one spends more time with Bea: She is way older thtan her years. When pointed out to her, she merely shrugs before revealing matter-of-factly, "Siguro ganito ako dahils sa mga pinagdaanan ko nung bata ako. I came from a broken family. My mom was only 19, the same age I am now, when she had me. She had to work, so I had to be sent to live with different relatives. Lumaki ako na palipat-lipat ako ng bahay. I felt like nobody took care of me emotionally so I had to take care of myself. I didn't want people comforting me. I just need to think things through by myself."
While admittedly self-reliant, that doesn't mean that Bea didn't experience adolescent angst. "Of course, it also crossed my mind to rebel whenever there were problems. I am not perfect. I went through a rebellious phase. I did things that I'm not proud of," she shares. "But it was a short-lived spell. My work was affected. I came in late for appointments. But I was lucky that the production assistants assigned to me just let me be. They understood me and forgave me."
Surviving Showbiz Stress
Aside from that bit of teenage drama, to date, Bea has not been involved in any big showbiz scandal. And she likes it that way. She does what she wishes, but knows her limits. "I'll do what pleases me, as long as 'di naman ako gumagawa ng masama. I figured that I'd be happier if I didn't let my fear of public opinion influence how I lived my life," she says.
Bea's one of the few young stars who can say as much, probably because she remains grounded in reality. She knows that attaining success takes hard work and discipline. "There's a lot of pressure when you're one of the lead stars in a movie. You'd be worried about it being a flop. Kasi sa kultura natin, kung ano 'yung last movie mo 'yun ka. Kung nag-flop 'yun ay flop ka na rin," she muses. "Iniisip ko na lang na tama na sa akin 'yung nakagawa ako ng magandang project."
Aside from wholeheartedly appreciating her success, she also maintains a unique perspective that fuels her commendable work ethic: "I choose not to compete with anyone. I only compete with myself. I think if you're constantly looking over your shoulder, that's when you become vulnerable to insecurities. You make it possible for your insecurities to take over you."
Quiet, Please
It's admirable for a lady in her teens to be this insightful, but it's expected since Bea's known to be the introspective type. In fact, even her dowtime is spent contemplating on her own. "There are days when 'di ko talaga gustong makipag-usap kahit kanino. Nasa kwarto lang ako, nagbabasa ng book. I feel that I need time to meditate, to think about the things that I've been doing, and to examine the things I may have done wrong," she explains. "It's my way of detoxifying from all the stress and any bad things that have happened."
Admittedly, Bea is a tough nut to crack. "Wala talagang nakakabasa sa akin," she confirms. "Even my mom can't read me. She and I are so different. She's always chattering like Ai-Ai de las Alas-- always telling stories and cracking jokes. I like quiet."
We suppose it's this same reticence that keeps Bea tight-lipped when the standard, "How's your love life?" query comes up. "Love life? Meron naman. Happy ako," she finally admits after some prodding, "I want to keep the relationship private, though. Kasi 'pag mas maraming tao involved, mas magulo," she clarifies.
For now, at least, Bea is more comfortable talking about her reel loves. Aside from the imminent continuation of her soap opera partnership with John Lloyd Cruz in Maging Sino Ka Man, she's also set to star in a movie with Sam Milby later this year.
Future Perfect
These days, Bea is up for even bigger projects. "My work is so time-consuming, I only get two or three hours of sleep when I'm taping," she laments. "But I love my job. I also love my fans. It's my duty to be extra nice to them no matter what because they go out of their way just to get a glimpse of you. Baka isang beses ka lang nila makita so unfair naman na sa isang beses na 'yun ay tatarayan mo lang sila. I've realized that you have the capacity to make people happy with just a wave or a smile."
Bea has the rest of her future mapped out. "By the time I turn 30, siguro kailangan nag-pa-plano na akong mag-aasawa o nag-asawa na ako. Dapat marami na akong investments," she shares.
While Bea knows she has yet to leave her mark in showbiz and that "hindi ko pa talaga nararating lahat ng gusto kong marating," she's realistic and accepts that she won't constantly be in the limelight. "I'm not going to be in showbiz forever. I want to be able to work abroad. I want to work in advertising; I feel it's an industry where I can excel. Imagine, before, dalawa lang gusto ko. I said I'd either be an actress or a housewife!"
Whether as a star or when reaching for one, we don't doubt that Bea can do it. Proof of this is her love team with John Lloyd, which has gotten so big that they have rabid fans cheering them on to make their reel romance real. (For the record, the two are really just friends) Plus, there is also Bea's increasing number of endorsements-- she's the face of a skincare line, a clothing boutique, and most recently, a shampoo brand. And foremost, there's her spotless reputation.
Everything is falling into place for the young star. It seems like Bea's living out one of her favorite quotes from Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." In Bea's case, it looks like the world's only too happy to help her get what she wants.