A new challenge for Bubbles

Expect to see more of Bubbles Paraiso from now on, because she’s officially leaving her modeling roots and venturing into full-time acting. In this iGMA interview, she shares why she can relate to her new onscreen characters and the real reason why she left what she has been doing for seven years. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by Jason John S. Lim and Mitch S. Mauricio. ’Astig’ in Asero Bubbles will be in her first GMA primetime teleserye soon in Codename: Asero, where she’ll play a special agent named Minnie. “Ako yung maraming fight scenes sa mga girls,” she explains. The other female stars joining Bubbles in this Mark Reyes (Carlo J. Caparas’ Kamandag) series are Heart Evangelista, Francine Prieto, Ehra Madrigal, Rhian Ramos, Ysa Villar, Chariz Solomon, and Chynna Ortaleza, among others. Although her role involves a lot of fight scenes, Bubbles says she didn’t really have to undergo training because she already knew some basic moves. “Kasi when they found out that I really do boxing, kickboxing, etc., they [realized] na marunong naman ako, [so] inisip nila na okay, magagamit naman.” But Bubbles did attend a workshop with her co-stars in the series. “It was mostly a ‘getting to know you’ workshop, but the night before the workshop, [lumabas] kami nina Chard (Gutierrez), Heart, and Ehra. So parang naglolokohan [kami] na okay, hindi na pala kailangan ng workshop kasi nagbo-bonding na naman na talaga kami! But yeah, it was fun kasi kasama doon si Rocky (Gutierrez) and si tito Goma (Richard Gomez).” What will set Asero apart from other GMA primetime shows that aired in the past? “Well, it’s Michael V.’s first ever teleserye, [and there are also the] two Richards—Richard Gutierrez, and Richard Gomez,” Bubbles starts off. “I think it’s the story also, because it’s the same team as Kamandag, but the writers are from all these successful soaps [as well]. So parang doon pa lang, you can see na they don’t want Asero to be compared to anything that Chard has done na. I think that’s the edge— they don’t want it to be like other shows. They’re really working hard on the script.” Kikay as Karen Aside from Codename: Asero, Bubbles will also be in My Monster Mom, set to air nationwide on July 2, 2008. In the GMA and Regal Films flick, she plays the best friend of Ruffa Gutierrez’s character. “My role there is Karen. In the trailer, you’ll see na laging nagrereklamo [si Ruffa sa akin], so ako yung pinagsusumbungan niya [tungkol sa mommy niya, played by tita Annabelle]. So yung role ko doon is actually [the] opposite [of my Asero character] kasi [doon] medyo astig, very palaban. [Sa My Monster Mom naman, very girly girl, stylish, [and] fashionista.” Which character could she relate to? “Actually, you know what, both,” she says. “’Cos I’m such a girly girl, but at the same time, my hobbies are boxing and all that.” Bubbles also scuba dives on weekends when she’s not working or doing what she loves best—shopping! How was it like to work with her manager who’s notorious for being “palaban?” “It was fun, actually,” Bubbles answers, adding that her tita Annabelle is like her “mommy” too. “’Cos a lot of people are intimidated by her, but with her kasi, especially as a manager, para siyang mommy lang talaga—very frank. Parang, ‘O, ang flat ng buhok mo, ayusin mo yan!’ Yung ganoon? She really cares, and I see how she is with her children also. So I don’t know, palaban lang siya talaga if may pinaglalaban. Nasa lugar naman.” A new career move We asked Bubbles why she suddenly thought of venturing into acting, especially since she has been modeling since her senior year in high school—a good seven years already. “I think it’s a new challenge for me,” she imparts. “Feeling ko it’s a new step for me; it’s a new challenge because it’s been paulit-ulit na na fashion show, same old same old. Unlike with acting, with each character you portray, it’s something different. It’s not like in photo shoots na okay, for this teen magazine, smile, smile, smile. Then for a fashion magazine, pout ka lang. So it’s all the same. Not naman super tiring, but I got medyo sawa na,” she admits. But Bubbles isn’t completely turning her back to modeling. She says she’d still do special projects despite not being as active as before. She’s also quite realistic with her whole showbiz venture, and she plans to put up a business someday. “I’d like to invest my money somewhere, ‘cos not everything is permanent, like modeling—it’s not forever; showbiz is also not forever. So I hope na someday I can invest in a business venture that can be [stable].” With two big projects in GMA, it seems like Bubbles made the right decision to challenge herself with something new. But what does she really want to portray if given the chance? “I wanna be a superhero!” she exclaims. “I don’t know, anything—I [just] wanna fly!” Don’t miss Codename: Asero’s pilot episode on July 14, 2008! More on Bubbles: Monster gossip Ready for a monster hit? Moments with dad Favorite school memories