Klea Pineda: Fearless, Feisty, Focused

Klea Pineda

Fearless, Feisty, Focused

The Kapuso actress talks about her new series Magkaagaw,
achieving her goals, and finding a career outside of show business,
and tells us why there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious.

Text by Cara Emmeline Garcia
Photos by GMA Artist Center, Magkaagaw, Klea Pineda (Instagram)

Klea Pineda is famous.

She is break-the-Internet, get-so-many-likes, get-asked-to-play-a-part-a-lot famous.

And anyone who has followed the Kapuso reality series StarStruck wouldn’t be surprised.

But Klea is still new to her fame and all the trappings that come with it, which for her includes being on-call all the time.

“Mas happy ako pag marami akong ginagawa kaysa nakastay lang sa bahay,” she tells GMANetwork.com on a Friday morning at Studio 1, as she gears up for a full day of promotional tours for her new series Magkaagaw.

“Happy ako ’pag nag-a-acting ako kasi isa siyang way ng pag-express ng sarili ko sa mga tao. At saka, nagkakaroon ako ng chance na mabuhay sa point of view ng characters na ibinibigay sa akin.”

Among these “characters” that Klea has played before are Muyak from Encantadia (2016-2017), Julie from The One That Got Away (2018), and Sefira from Sirkus (2018) — all of which Klea is more than happy to flesh out on screen.

“Happy ako ’pag nag-a-acting ako kasi isa siyang way ng pag-express ng sarili ko sa mga tao. At saka nagkakaroon ako ng chance na mabuhay sa point of view ng characters na ibinibigay sa akin.”

But let’s make it clear: Klea is not her characters.

In real life, Klea is far different from the roles that she would carry out on TV.

She’s feisty, driven, focused.

As she treads the intense and confusing and volatile waters of social media— where every picture, like, or comment is put under the microscope (and often makes showbiz headlines), Klea knows that she has to be “on” all the time.

It doesn’t come easy for someone who is not a naturally public person.

She’s a Pisces, who likes “to be in her own space.” She is notoriously guarded about her personal life and is unapologetic about it.

But at the age of 20, she already knows who she is: an actress, an ambitious one, with meaty projects on the horizon, and a growing fanbase.

In her view, her personal life has nothing to do with memorizing lines and making call times. And although she’s famous in the Internet age, Klea knows where those boundaries are and she wants you to know where they are, too. She wants to surprise everyone because she has the calling and she craves for it.

“Ang saya kasi umaalis ako sa comfort zone ko,” she says.

As Klea puts it, “Masaya ako pag nacha-challenge ko ’yung sarili ko and marami akong nakikilala. Marami akong nalalaman o naririnig na kuwento sa tao at sa mga pinagdaanan nila sa buhay, at ’yung experiences nila.”

A Star is Born

Klea was born to be a star.

Hailing from Caloocan City, she excelled in anything she set her sights on.

It was in her blood, after all, to join the industry.

“Director kasi ’yung lolo ko and ’yung lola ko artista before. After nun, wala nang sumunod sa path nila,” she explains, noting that she felt it was up to her to continue what was once their showbiz legacy. “Parang ako na ’yung nag-continue and tuwang-tuwa naman sila.”

The “lolo” she’s referring to is Antonio Laxamana Pineda; the “lola” is Grace Jurado Pineda.

To fulfill what she felt was her calling, Klea joined the hit artista reality search StarStruck in 2015.

“Kinuha ko lang ’yung chance sa StarStruck para maging stepping stone at para masimulan ’yung dream ko,” she says. “Ever since bata ako, ’yun na talaga ’yung dream ko. Gusto ko nang umarte at gusto kong ma-express ’yung sarili ko through acting.”

The chance, she admits, was definitely life-changing.

After weeks of competition and rounds of eliminations, she was announced as the season’s Ultimate Female Survivor on December 19, 2015, a title that earned her P1 Million, a house and lot, and a five-year contract with GMA.

“Sobrang happy talaga kasi nung sumali ako hindi naman ako nag-expect na hanggang dulo ako e.”

More successes came into her life once she signed a contract with the Kapuso network.

The unrelenting process of aiming to be the best at her craft and curiosity led her to bagging role after role in GMA.

“Siguro mas iniisip ko na kailangan kong mas galingan kaysa sa ginawa ko noon,” she admits.

“Kailangan mas i-upgrade ko ’yung ginagawa ko para magkaroon ng bago naman. Para makita naman nila ’yung pag-grow ko at ’yung effort ko na magawa ’yung mga kailangan gawin.”

That has been her mindset ever since. Klea made sure that she would give her best in every project that she would be taking on. Her efforts did not go unnoticed.

A year after winning, Klea was cast in the beloved series Encantadia, the Filipino fantasy franchise featuring the four Sang’gres, Pirena, Amihan, Alena, and Danaya, who are the safekeepers of the gems that hold the power and maintain peace in the fantasy world. Klea played the role of Muyak, a pixie who watched over Pirena (played by Glaiza de Castro) and trained the Sang’gre as she grew up.

Klea actually auditioned for the role and worked hard for her success. And she’s happy to have done so even if it meant being a few feet off the ground.

“Pinaka-challenging ’yun kasi naka-hang ako. So, umaarte ako, kailangan kong umiyak ’tapos naka-hang pa ako at nafi-feel ko ’yung sakit dito,” she says, pointing to her hip area. “Iba siya. ’Yun ’yung pinakamahirap at challenging role para sa akin so far.”

Every creative decision Klea makes matters and she knows that. She is also aware that if you play a certain character, you run the risk of being typecast.

“Sa totoo lang parang nakukulangan na ’ko sa age kong 20. Kasi dati sabi ko na by this age dapat nagte-training na ako ng Binibining Pilipinas,” she admits. “E since pumasok na ’yung Magkaagaw, mas pinriority ko ito kasi nandito na e. Ito na ’yung nasa harap ko.”

“Ever since bata ako, ’yun na talaga ’yung dream ko. Gusto ko nang umarte at gusto kong ma-express ’yung sarili ko through acting.”

First of Many New Leaps

Fame has its perks and its trade-offs.

It comes with a flurry of new realities. Klea has tried to keep her family and her relationships private. “Tuwing wala akong work mas nagstay lang ako sa bahay. Mas gusto kong makita at makasama ’yung family ko at kinukuha ko ’yung time na ’yun to spend time with them lalo na sa mga sister ko,” she says.

But one thing she doesn’t keep mum about is her closeness with her Magkaagaw co-star Jeric Gonzales, whom she has grown fond of.

“Mas naging close kami ni Jeric ngayon, ’yun ’yung napansin ko. Mas nage-effort kami na kilalanin ang isa’t isa at parang mas may care na kami para sa isa’t isa this time,” she says.

The two recently went to Cebu and Iloilo for a flurry of promos for their series Magkaagaw. Fans have grown to love them off-screen.

In many ways, Jeric serves as a port in the storm for Klea.

A big winner of the reality show Protege in 2012, he has learned to navigate this whole being-famous thing earlier than Klea.

“Si Jeric lahat ng mga first ko,” Klea admits. “First love team, first everything.”

Encompassing this “everything” is their first on-screen kiss in Magkaagaw where they’ll be portraying the role of husband and wife for the first time.

“Hindi ko alam kung basehan ng mature role is ’yung pagkakaroon ng kissing scene pero kasi pinromise ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako makikipag kissing scene hanggat hindi ko sariling show,” she tells GMA.

“Kasi ’yung pag-accept ng mature roles hindi lang naman ’yan sa daring scenes or kissing scenes e. Para sa akin, kung paano i-handle ng character ’yung problems niya sa story —’yun ’yung basehan ng mature roles hindi lang ’yung kissing at daring scenes.”

Because of her constant success, many would wonder if Klea has become unrelatable for women her age. As she tries not to focus on comments and questions like this, she sets one thing straight. “Hindi naman ganun, kasi sa generation ngayon sobrang dami nang may pinagdadaanan gaya ng character ko,” she says. “So feel ko naman, marami pa rin makakarelate sa amin ni Jeric.

“Para sa akin, kung paano i-handle ng character ’yung problems niya sa story —’yun ’yung basehan ng mature roles hindi lang ’yung kissing at daring scenes.”

“Dito kasi sa Magkaagaw, it’s about family, sa loved ones mo, paano mo i-handle ’yung career, kung paano mo ma-achieve lahat ng goals mo sa buhay,” she explains. “At habang nangyayari ’yun, paano mo mapapanatili na happy at buo ’yung family mo.”

Klea plays Clarisse, a career-driven young woman who becomes the assistant of Veron, Sheryl Cruz’s character. In her early 20s, Clarisse already has a husband (played by Jeric) and a child and will face the challenge of pursuing her career while keeping her family happy.

“Marami nang millennials ang nagtatanong kung ano ba talaga ’yung gusto nila sa buhay nila, kung ano ’yung dapat i-priority nila, ’yung mga maaga na nag-asawa, ’yung marami nang nagka-baby sa generation ko ngayon” she explains. “Marami nang nagkakaroon ng identity crisis sa mga ka-age ko.”

Of all people, Klea is familiar with the highs and lows that come with being a millennial.

But make no mistake about it. Even if she’s got a thousand plans ahead—beauty pageants, studies, and an acting career—she knows how to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

“Sa totoo lang, mahirap talaga siyang i-balance - ’yung career mo, family. Pagkatapos magkakaroon ka ng problem sa career mo at paano mo ipu-prove ’yung sarili mo sa mga tao.

“Kailangan lang talaga time management,” she says. “Ako kasi ’yung taong ’di nag-iisip ng trabaho when I’m with my family. Tapos ’pag nasa trabaho naman, dun ko tatapusin lahat. Hinihiwalay ko ’yung work sa family.”

Success Ahead

For Klea, fame is a byproduct of her success more than it is a marker.

She knows that the minute she says something worthy of a soundbite, it will be made into a headline and the narrative will run away from her. It’s a machine she cannot control.

She could eschew social media or she could livestream every moment of her day —it wouldn’t matter. People would still feel as though they know her more than they really do.

This kind of fame is not something Klea signed up for when she began her journey in StarStruck, and it seems that work is the only thing she’s relying on to help pull her through.

“Hindi ko siya iniisip na work,” she clarifies. “Passion ko siya so hindi ko nafi-feel ’yung pagod. May puyat, oo, pero once na ginagawa ko siya nawawala at mas na-eenjoy ko.”

With the help of those around her, she watches her own work with a critical eye. She counts StarStruck alum Jennylyn Mercado and fellow Encantadia star Glaiza De Castro’s careers as inspiration.

But Klea is not setting herself to follow anyone’s trajectory but her own.

“Passion ko siya so hindi ko nafi-feel ’yung pagod. May puyat, oo, pero once na ginagawa ko siya nawawala at mas na-e-enjoy ko.”

More than anything, Klea Pineda is a 20-year-old who really loves her job; she comes most alive when discussing the work itself.

Talking to her, one can get the sense that if it weren’t for the work, she wouldn’t choose to be famous on her own, and that she’s not in this for the likes or the swag, or anything else that comes with being a TV star first and an actor second.

“Sobrang worth it siya,” she says. “’Yung sa studies ko, iniisip ko na andyan lang naman siya e. Pero ’yung career mo, once lang na ibinigay ’yan sa ’yo kaya hindi mo na dapat siya palagpasin.”

That includes bagging the Miss Universe crown, being a future pilot, and taking on roles that challenge her. That includes anything she sets her mind to.