Shuvee Etrata, AZ Martinez look back on pageant beginnings, early friendship

Shuvee Etrata and AZ Martinez looked back on their beginnings in pageantry and their early friendship before joining showbiz.

On Tuesday’s episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” the Sparkle stars shared that they had already known each other in Cebu before pursuing careers in showbiz.

“We came to Manila in the same year, actually. We attended a workshop together. We joined Sparkle at the same time,” Shuvee said in a mix of Filipino and English.

The two also recalled meeting through a pageant, with AZ describing Shuvee as someone who was already playful and talkative at the time.

“Shuvee was so playful. Even back in Hiyas, she was already so playful. She was so noisy, too,” AZ said in Filipino.

Shuvee, meanwhile, remembered how welcoming AZ and her family were to her, saying they would even offer her rides.

“Because, Tito Boy, AZ's family was really rich. They would even give me rides. Tito Boy, they had a beautiful car. They would let me ride in their car so they could take me home. I was close to her mom, too. They were very friendly and welcoming. Since I didn't have much family in the city, I would try to make friends with everyone, with all the beauty queens there,” she said.

Shuvee said she joined beauty contests primarily to earn money, recalling how she participated in barangay pageants to help provide for her needs.

“I joined a lot of barangay pageants. I joined pageants in every barangay to earn extra money for rice. I've joined a lot of pageants simply because I wanted to earn money,” she said.

AZ, on the other hand, said she joined pageants simply because she had nothing else to do.

“The one I will never forget is Hiyas. It was my very first pageant. That was the time when everyone looked down on me.”

AZ recalled that others doubted her chances because she was competing against experienced contestants who had joined and won pageants before.

“Thankfully, the pageant was delayed a little, and I had all that time to prepare,” she said, adding that she won the competition.

For Shuvee, what stood out most about joining pageants was the sisterhood she developed with fellow beauty queens.

“I think it's the sisterhood formed through all those pageants because, after the competition, what matters is the relationship, right? In the end, it all comes down to your relationship with your fellow beauty queens. Ultimately, you learn to value that sisterhood,” she said.

The actresses also talked about their upcoming movie, “Red Crown,” which explores the world of beauty pageants.

When asked who would be the most threatening candidate if the film's Queen of the Islands pageant were real, Shuvee named Ahtisa Manalo because of her height.

“Ahtisa Manalo. She's so tall,” she said.

AZ, meanwhile, picked Michelle [Dee], explaining that she appeared to be the one who knew how to handle different situations and help the other contestants.

“I would say Ate Michelle. She's powerful—she’s the one handling everything eh. We always see her. . She sometimes helps everyone. So, like, she knows what she’s doing,” she said.

“She’s very passionate,” Shuvee added.

“Red Crown” is coming to cinemas nationwide on October 28.

It is directed by Dominic Zapata.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA News