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Bela Padilla wants to be known as a dramatic actress and not just another pretty face


Months after her initial cover for the March issue of FHM that became controversial because of allegations of racism, Bela Padilla was able to turn the tides in her favor. A week before the announcement of FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World, Bela is now ranked 7th. Last Wednesday, May 30, GMA Artist Center sponsored a night out for the 21 year-old actress together with Chariz Solomon at Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge in The Fort, Taguig, to boost the girls’ campaign. Robin Padilla’s niece told us, “Actually, I was unaware of this. Parang last year I wasn’t able to campaign for myself. “Kasi I didn’t think na, you know, it was possible for me to get to the top 10. Pero now that I know it is, I guess, yeah, it’s important for me and for other girls also. “Kasi, I think the FHM Sexiest Campaign makes women feel sexy eh. And you know, parang, perople are voting for you cause they believe your sexy. So I want girls out there to feel that also," she explained. Does having a sexier image suggest that she is now ready for more daring roles? “Actually, I don’t see that naman as a trend right now eh. Parang, hindi naman pwede masyado magpasexy sa TV," was her reply. “So, I’m willing to do something as long as their character really needs it. Pero, not yung you just do it for yung sexy na sake, you know. I want it to be part of the story." Instead, Bela would still want to portray characters that are “innocent." “You know, I want to do shows na parang, uhm, parang unang panahon. Yung mga, like what Jessie did, yung Sabel, parang ganun." “Like, story about a girl who’s innocent and pretty pero she’s not aware of it. Yung ganun. Tapos other people find her pretty and sexy, yung parang ganun. “I want something na, different naman. Very young and fresh. Kasi parang the roles I’ve done lately are a bit heavy. Drama pa rin pero gusto ko light yung character. And her dream leading man? “I think… I’ve worked na kasi with Aljur. So… I know that Dennis Trillo is such a good actor. I wanna work with Dennis Trillo." Bela stressed that she doesn’t want to be known as just another pretty face but rather, as a dramatic actress. “I’m very happy with doing drama roles. Yes, that’s my dream. “More than anything else. More than being known as someone who’s pretty or sexy, or ganyan. I want to be know as someone who can act." We asked her to name actresses whose footsteps she would want to follow. “I love Ms. Gloria Romero. Her face is so kind, parang pag umiyak siya, nadudurog yung puso mo, ganun. “I want to be able to portray roles as well as she did and does. Also, I love how Cherie Gil has changed the whole idea of a kontrabida, you know. “Siya lang yun eh. Parang pag sinabi mong Cherie Gil, parang no one’s gone after her in that genre of kontrabida. “And since I’ve been given kontrabida roles lately, I want to do something… parang, something to pattern what she’s done." Would she rather play bida or kontrabida roles? “I enjoyed naman doing the kontrabida roles pero it was so heavy eh. Parang, it’s so hard to shift from a normal person mo, ganyan… “In real life, I don’t slap people, I don’t scream at people, I don’t even get angry tapos biglang sa set kailangan galit na galit ako. “So, yun, ang hirap lang mag-shift. So, as much as possible, I want to play naman roles na mabait again," she answered. Bela played the role of a kontrabida in the afternoon series, Sisid, opposite Jackie Rice. How did she prepare for her scenes then? She replies, “I have to credit the directors, the directors I’ve worked with, the cast members. “I’ve been lucky enough to be, you know, be in shows where people I work with are very professional, so, that’s a big plus. “Also, I prepare myself. I study my character. And I ask. I’m not afraid to ask people. “So, I ask the older cast members or ask, even our EP or director…ask them, like, what do you think about my role, what do you want me to do?" Of all the roles she has done so far, which one has been the most challenging? “The one I’m doing now. Vanessa of Hiram na Puso. Kasi, my character is confused, hindi niya alam kung masama siya or mabait. “Kasi, in Machete, I played Aginaya. Ano siya, white character, sobrang mabait from start to finish. “Sa Sisid naman, I played a black character, from start to finish, masama. Tapos now, sa Hiram na Puso, sobrang gray. As in, you can’t identify if she’s bad or good. “Like, may scenes ako na sinasampal ko si Kris [Bernal] pero may scenes na ako yung sinsampal, tapos sobrang nasasaktan din ako. “So, I think this is the most layered character I’ve played." -- Kathleen Benavidez, PEP
Tags: belapadilla
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