Arra San Agustin
Diamond in the Rough
After dealing with bouts of self-doubt and insecurity,
Arra San Agustin is ready to take control of her showbiz career and prove why we should all take notice of her sparkle.
Text by Cherry Sun
Photos by Jamesson Vista, Madrasta, Arra San Agustin (Instagram)
Arra San Agustin arrives at the shoot all glammed up. She may be a little over dressed for the occasion but how she looks and how she carries herself tells a lot about her character.
Graceful, elegant, impressive, and nothing less of a professional.
The 24-year-old Kapuso star is hailed as the newest gem of drama. The recognition comes at the most opportune time as she is about to take on her first lead and title role in the drama series Madrasta.
Before proceeding with her busy afternoon to promote her new drama series, she grants GMANetwork.com a short interview.
Arra carries herself so assured these days. At first glance, one can easily tell that she has the makings of the next big TV star.
But not many are aware that before getting into this level of poise, she used to be so uncertain of herself, living up to the expectations of her family and the society.
She looks back, “Nung bata ako, fascinated ako sa showbiz, fascinated ako sa actors, sa singers, sa lahat ng mga nagpe-perform. Mahilig manood mom ko ng movies so sa Hollywood sobrang fascinated ako.
“But then growing up, I wanted to become a doctor. It’s huge eh, 'pag sinabing doctor ka ‘tapos ‘yung family ko rin, 'yung parents ko, gusto nila akong mag-doctor.
“So siguro growing up, nung nire-raise ako, 'yun 'yung sa tingin kong dapat at tama, na maging doctor. Pero hindi talaga siya siguro from within, parang choice talaga ng heart ko na gawin.”
Even at a young age, Arra had been taught to have a strong and can-do mindset.
“[I was] very academically inclined. Whoa!,” Arra says, breaking into laughter.
“Takot ako na mag-fail. Kasi 'yung parents ko, strict kasi sila eh. Para sa kanila, dapat kailangan nagta-top ka, kailangan mataas 'yung grades mo, dapat hindi mo sinasayang 'yung pinapaaral nila sa’yo. Parang ganun.
“May plans talaga sila for me. So ako, since takot ako sa parents ko, fina-follow ko lang 'yun.
Arra had no issues complying. She spent most of her time studying and staying at home. If she had spare time, she chose to spend it with her friends.
That was her life until she wanted to try something new.
Arra was in the middle of taking her pre-med, B.S. Psychology, at De La Salle University, when she desired to break her routine and her impulse led her to audition on StarStruck.
“I guess Arra San Agustin before StarStruck would be somebody who has not figured out who she was.
“So StarStruck was the main thing that shaped my identity.
“Pagkatapos ko mag-StarStruck, doon na siya nagsimula; 'yung discovery about myself, doon ko mas nakilala sarili ko. So I can’t really particularly describe who I was before StarStruck because to be honest, I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
Arra wanted a novel experience but she soon realized thirsting for it wasn’t enough.
She felt out of place and unqualified in an environment where one had to be competitive to prove herself.
She recalls, “Nung nag-StarStruck ako, wala akong acting experience. Never ako nag-commercial, never ako nag-ads, never ako nag-theater. As in first time talaga 'yun na acting experience.
“And nung time na 'yun, parang hindi naman sa hindi sineseryoso, pero parang nagugulat lang ako, bakit ganun? 'Yung mga kasama ko naniniwala talaga sila doon sa eksena. Parang bago kasi siya sa akin so hindi ko naman alam ‘yung buong process ng acting.
“So 'yun ang pinaka-challenge sa akin, kung paano ako magiging 'yung character ko.”
Self-doubt soon started to creep in.
She recounts, “'Bakit wala akong talent? Bakit ako nandito? Bakit ko ba ginagawa sa sarili ko 'to, pwede naman ako may ibang gawin?’ Ano pa ba? ‘Bakit ko sila hinahayaang ipahiya ako?’ Parang ganun 'yung mga pumapasok sa isip ko noon, pero siyempre sa isip ko lang 'yun lahat.”
Arra lost in the competition, but she found what she had always been looking for: her real self and her heart’s true desires.
For her, it means stepping into the limelight and exerting her best to keep herself in it.
She played guest roles in TV show after TV show until she became a regular on the longest-running gag show Bubble Gang. She got her first taste of teleserye acting via Meant To Be (2017) which was soon followed by her turn on Encantadia (2017), Kambal, Karibal (2017), and The Cure (2018).
In 2018, she was set to get her big break in acting when she was matched with Ken Chan for My Special Tatay. But their initial pairing didn’t last long as the Boyet-Carol tandem had to give way for the crowd favorite Boyet-Aubrey or BoBrey, the tandem of Ken Chan and Rita Daniela.
While the sudden change didn’t favor Arra, she learned to take it as a sign.
It simply wasn’t her time yet.
“’Yung feeling ko kasi nung time na 'yun, parang kulang pa. Kulang pa ako, hindi pa ako ganoon ka-independent na tatayo sa sarili ko,” she remembers.
“I mean, binigay sa akin 'yung role na 'yun. Very willing ako to work hard.
“Pero now, looking back, parang sa tingin ko 'yung Arra na Carol before parang hindi pa niya kayang maging independent noon eh. Parang kulang pa siya. Nakukulangan pa ako sa kanya.”
Arra didn’t surrender on her dreams.
And finally, the risk she took is beginning to pay off as she now has a teleserye that she can call her own.
While she has triumphed over the several challenges in her career, this project makes her vulnerable.
For the first time, Arra admits that this project makes her nervous. It makes her uncomfortable.
Speaking in a softer voice, she says, “Kasi syempre ako 'yung title role so gusto ko maramdaman ako ng tao.
“Gusto ko maka-relate sa akin 'yung tao. Gusto ko masabayan nila 'yung kuwento ni Audrey sa Madrasta.
Turning more serious this time, she goes on, “Kailangan maramdaman nila ako, 'yun 'yung pinaka-challenge.
“Kailangan maramdaman ko 'yung sarili ko, maramdaman ko 'yung character to be able to let the viewers feel my character.”
Four years ago, Arra barely knew herself. Today, she has the opportunity to let the people see the better version of herself.
It took definitive and character-building moments to uncover her fine qualities. Now the time seems ripe, and her luster is just about to shine even brighter.
She claims, “More of sa hard work lang din. Kasi kung hindi naman din ako nagtrabaho or hindi ko dinibdib 'yung mga workshops… kung kunwari sa bawat pagsubok wala akong natutunan, kung hindi ako eager to learn para ma-improve 'yung sarili ko, siguro hindi rin naman siya masasabing 'Diamond in the rough.'
“So I guess more of hard work lang din and commitment to what you do.”
Arra San Agustin is indeed shaping up to be the newest gem of drama and without a doubt, people are starting to take notice of her sparkle.
