Around GMA

Article Inside Page

Pursuing the elusive Hollywood dream is no walk in the park.

LOOK: BB Gandanghari signs with talent agency in California

This was the realization of BB Gandanghari, sister of action star Robin Padilla, in an open letter she posted on Instagram.

The aspiring Hollywood actress talked about the hardships she had to endure just to fulfill her dream.

She posted, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going! What a year it had been. Exactly a year ago, I was definitely on cloud 9. I felt very legal and official, I just finished some courses from UCLA, feeling comfy with the new crib, simply excited to rebuild a life, a career... as I continue this journey to womanhood. I was also feeling optimistic of a Hollywood career, so optimistic that with just a few bucks in my pocket, I was ready to go, feeling all planned out.”

She also revealed that finding an agency was challenging. It was only last September 2017 that she was signed by The Brogan Agency.

“That I am giving myself 3 mons to get signed up by a top AGENCY and doors would open wide and Hollywood would embrace me ‘oh so lovingly,’ as my dream dictates. I was WRONG, of course. Agency hunting as I used to call it, proved to be very challenging. I started working on my profile/resume, reels, and other stuff January of 2017, but not until June was I finally ready to send it out to agencies. Or so I thought.”

Aside from following her chosen career, BB also had to face the fact that she needed to pay her bills and admitted that she is almost broke.

Add to that was the hate she experiences being a transgender woman.

“Of course I wasn’t. I needed to update my headshot, I was told. By this time, I was already out of schedule, as far as being represented, being a working actor that is, and OUT of BUDGET. There are bills and rent to pay no matter what. So there I was, in the summer of 2017, doing everything that is humanly possible to survive this so-called LIFE... of a woman susceptible to hate because I am transgender. Tough times is an understatement as I find ways and means to be productive so as to not only support a mere existence in a foreign land but to support a dream, the so-called Hollywood dream.”

“And boy, it’s no joke. And so on my 50th summertime, I must admit, I’ve never prayed harder. It is the scariest times, as I wrestle thru the challenges of pursuing this now seemingly overwhelming and elusive Hollywood dream of mine. Life in simple terms, confronted me at face value. Physical, social, physiological, psychological, financial and professional insecurities was slowly becoming me. As I try with all my might to overcome these limitations, I am in the realization that I gotta have my headshot soonest or go home or... broke. Talking about pressure with the capital P... to be continued...”

 

2017 in RETROSPECT: An Open letter... when the going gets tough, the tough gets going! What a year it had been. Exactly a year ago, I was definitely on cloud 9. I felt very legal and official, I just finished some courses from UCLA, feeling comfy with the new crib, simply excited to rebuild a life, a career... as I continue this journey to womanhood. I was also feeling optimistic of a Hollywood career, so optimistic that with just a few bucks in my pocket, I was ready to go, feeling all planned out. That I am giving myself 3mons to get signed up by a top AGENCY and doors would open wide and Hollywood would embrace me ‘oh so lovingly,’ as my dream dictates. I was WRONG, of course. Agency hunting as I used to call it, proved to be very challenging. I started working on my profile/resume, reels and other stuff January of 2017, but not until June was I finally ready to send it out to agencies. Or so I thought. Of course I wasn’t. I needed to update my headshot, I was told. By this time, I was already out of schedule, as far as being represented, being a working actor that is, and OUT of BUDGET. There are bills and rent to pay no matter what. So there I was, in the summer of 2017, doing everything that is humanly possible to survive this so called LIFE... of a woman susceptible to hate bec I am transgender. Tough times is an understatement as I find ways and means to be productive so as to not only support a mere existence in a foreign land but to support a dream, the so-called Hollywood dream. And boy, it’s no joke. And so on my 50th summertime, I must admit, I’ve never prayed harder. It is the scariest times, as I wrestle thru the challenges of pursuing this now seemingly overwhelming and elusive Hollywood dream of mine. Life in simple terms, confronted me at face value. Physical, social, physiological, psychological, financial and professional insecurities was slowly becoming me. As I try with all my might to overcome these limitations, I am in the realization that I gotta have my headshot soonest or go home or... broke. Talking about pressure with the capital P... to be continued...

A post shared by gandangharibb (@gandangharibb) on Jan 2, 2018 at 4:11pm PST

TV host/ actress Sharon Cuneta was touched with BB Gandanghari’s open letter and offered some words of encouragement.