One on One with Rhian

In this quick Q&A with Rhian Ramos, she reveals her number one goal for 2008, her fears for her next project, and something that she “fakes” once in a while! iGMA: What are your plans for 2008? Rhian: Finish [high] school! It sounds easy and I’m already doing it in a really easy way (Rhian is home-schooled), which makes me look like more of a loser because I can’t seem to finish it when it’s already simplified! It’s just that when I get home I just wanna drop on my bed. Or take a five-hour shower, or just do something that’s not work or school—anything that doesn’t feel like an obligation. It’s good naman because sometimes I actually miss [school], so I want to do it na. Haha! iGMA: Are you interested in going back to primetime? Rhian: I don’t know. The idea scares me because during my primetime [stint], I stayed with the same group production-wise. I was always with Miss Helen Sese (executive producer of Lupin) so I got really close to her. Siyempre if you’re close with the people you work with, you get excited to work more. You’re excited to wake up, you don’t care if you haven’t slept yet. We hang out even when we don’t have to. I’m scared because so far I haven’t worked with anyone else. It was the same thing in [My Only Love] because I haven’t worked with any other leading man but Chard (Gutierrez). [Luckily], this turned out well naman. [In] primetime kasi, it’s [taping] three times a week and it’s like 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. the next day. You spend that much time together and there’s a lot of pressure because it’s the most watched hours. It’s like a big deal if you do a primetime show and [if] it’s not successful. Well, [it should be like that for] any show naman, pero it’s even [bigger] because even the name, ‘primetime slot’—parang it’s already intimidating. iGMA: Do you have a dream leading man? Rhian: I’m very happy already with the leading men I’ve worked with. Of course, there are a lot of other talented actors there that I would love to play opposite to. Obviously, I’m so afraid of change because I’ve been talking about going back to primetime with a different production team, and when Lupin ended, I was scared out off my underpants! Siyempre I wouldn’t say no to a project just because I’m afraid of working with a new leading man. Siyempre, it’s also exciting kasi ‘yun nga, you can explore. I’m very impressed with the Kapuso leading men as of the moment. But if I worked with Mark (Herras) again, or Chard again, I wouldn’t complain also because they’re already people I’m comfortable with. iGMA: What makes Mark different from Richard as a leading man? Rhian: Well, they’re both very ma-appeal, but anyone will agree with me—it’s very different. Siyempre, all the leading men naman of GMA give off a different appeal, like Dingdong Dantes and Dennis Trillo. Chard is the type na very ‘poised’ in a male kind of way. And when it comes to his sense of humor, it’s more of the punch line. Mark is very animated naman. If he makes kuwento, or even when he’s acting, you’ll notice that he makes hand gestures a lot. But when Chard is acting, his hands are down. Parang just attitude-wise and the way they move, they’re very different. I’ll miss Mark because of his ‘maharot-ness,’ hahaha! That’s probably the ugliest word I’ve invented! At the set [of My Only Love], I’m the youngest (well, there’s Sandy Talag), so I’m always running around and tickling people and being annoying. [Apparently], I’ve met my match! If there’s someone who squeezes or tickles or makes faces as much as I do, it’s probably Mark. I’ll miss that playfulness about him. iGMA: You cried a lot in your Dramarama show. Have you ever used crying as a weapon? Rhian: Ah, a million gazillion times! I love it, it’s my favorite thing, hahaha! I admit it. This is gonna suck because [people] will read this, but it’s okay, I could always deny, haha! Sometimes you really mean what you say, and there’s no other way to show it and [people] won’t believe you until you cry. I don’t really use it on TV [interviews], because I don’t want to cry in front of a lot of people—it’s a very personal thing for me. For example, you saw me drop a tear and I’m hiding behind Chard because it was the end of Captain Barbell. I really meant that [because I was] hiding. I wouldn’t say I use it often but if you really, really mean something—I’ve never done it naman for a lie—and there’s no other way to show my sincerity, then it’s a pretty good tool. iGMA: What do you like about showbiz and what makes you stay here? Rhian: Well, I would love to lie and say it’s for the craft! Hahaha! No, it’s a lot of things. I’m not gonna lie—I like getting paid, and I like the independence it brings because growing up I was sheltered; my mom’s strict with things. My dad’s like, ‘Okay, go out, be home by 12 midnight’ or ‘Okay, have a boyfriend.’ That’s just the kind of person he is. And my mom naman—I don’t know if ‘sakal’ is the right term, that’s a little harsh, but you get the point. So anyway, my mom would be the one followed in the family. My sister and I would always be home by 9 p.m. It’s cool because I’m not home most of the time and I get the chance to miss it, to appreciate the strangling. Haha! - Interview by Jillian Q. Gatcheco and Jessa Ericka C. Bien. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. Comment about Rhian’s answers in her official iGMA Forum Thread! Related features Playing Cinderella Rhian’s gallery My Only Love behind-the-scenes Text RHIAN to 4627 to Feel the Fun with Fanatxt! To receive picture messages from her phone, text GOMMS RHIAN ON and send to 4627. (Each SMS costs P2.50 for GLOBE, SMART, and TALK 'N TEXT, while it costs P2.00 for SUN subscribers. Each MMS costs P5.00 for all networks).