The beauty in Barbie Forteza's contradiction

I’ve interviewed Barbie Forteza close to 300 times over the years. From her "Stairway to Heaven" days back in 2009 to the many chapters that followed — award wins, hit shows, personal milestones like her high school graduation — I’ve seen most of it unfold. I’ve watched her grow up in the spotlight. I’ve been in the rooms, asked the questions, seen the in-betweens.

But despite the proximity, I won’t claim to know everything about her.

And maybe that’s how she wants things to be.

Barbie has always valued privacy, even when fans wanted more. There was a time she’d post about “monthsaries,” but never more than what she was willing to show. She once told me, “I’ve learned to leave certain parts of my life private… as a gift to myself.” And it’s a gift she protects. What she shares is intentional. What she keeps, she leaves untouched, and definitely unbothered.

Like most women I admire, she’s full of contradictions. She’s funny, but never careless. There’s a groundedness in her humor that pulls you in.

She’s quick to giggle, but there’s depth in the pause that follows. People think she’s mataray — and sure, the brow raises fast — but I’ve been in times when she’d spot me in a packed room, amidst the noise, just to mouth, “OK ka lang?” And it’s happened more than once.

She’s sweet, but never soft. Tough, but not cold. She doesn’t seem to filter what needs to be said, but she never crosses into disrespect. She lets you in, but just enough. 

Barbie notices things. Oh, man — she really does! That’s one of the things I’ve always found fascinating (and yes, intimidating) about her. During interviews, she’s sharper than most. She doesn’t just catch lazy questions, she will clock them before you’ve even finished asking (but won’t interrupt. You’ll just see it in her face).

She reads tone, posture, the slightest twitch at the corner of your mouth. You. Don’t. Come. Unprepared. (When it's Barbie on the other end).

But what stays long after the interview ends is her sincerity. It’s in the way she values time — her own, and everyone else’s. She’s known to show up an hour early to set. She treats everyone — from camera crew to production assistants — like they matter. 

“Aaminin ko,” she said, “sa takbo ng karera ko, in what, my sixteen years in the industry, I’ve had my highs and lows. Pero ang naging consistent since day one is yung respeto sa akin ng mga tao... even the people around me see how I respect everyone's time, my craft, my passion, at yung trabaho ng lahat.”

“Barang,” as I fondly call her, doesn’t chase dreams just for herself. Every forward step, every win — she carries the people she loves with her. Her hustle is consistent, makes space for others in the life she’s building, and when no one’s watching, gives herself a small pat — “Good job. O, see, kaya mo.” She personifies: She believed, therefore, she did. And she’s still doing it — not just for herself, but for everyone she holds close.

In the past few months, she’s been learning how to love herself, and that is in how she moves through the world. She’s been “dating” herself, coffee shop-hopping alone, staying as long as she wants, in no rush. She finds peace in running, joy in solo travel. And while the public may be quick to ask who’s next, she’s not in a hurry to fill that space up just to meet expectations. She’s single, and choosing to be. 

So yes, during our sit-down, I indulged in asking about the men associated with her — past and present. I asked with care. And true to form, she answered without hesitation.

Alden Richards, she says, is one of her constants. “Pag may problema ako, Alden, ganito… hindi naman ako nangungutang ha!” She laughed. “Pero kung kailangan ko ng advice, siya talaga.” His advice may sting a little, but she knows it comes from the right place. She admits that it’s the kind of advice she needs right now. 

And Kapamilya actor Jameson Blake? Just a friend. A co-actor from a recently concluded movie project (yet to be shown this year). And now, a running buddy. “Actually, marami nga na-confuse. Kasi paano naman nag-krus ang landas? So ayun, nagkasama kami sa pelikula. Itong recent run namin, siya naman ang nag-invite — just like my other runner friends. So 'yun lang talaga 'yun. We are not together.”

“We run together but we’re not together,” I joked.

“Yan!” She laughed.

Then there’s the other half of the BarDa love team, David Licauco. Her tone softens. “Simula ng taon na ito, I would say na we’ve grown closer talaga. I think the care that we have for each other is really genuine.”

As for her ex, Jak Roberto — they crossed paths again during the taping of Beyond 75: The GMA Anniversary Special. It was the first time they saw each other since the breakup. Fans hovered to catch what’s next for them. She maintained her silence. But this time, she met the question head-on, calm and steady. “About that, since there was a photo that came out, I think I don’t need to discuss it any further. Kasi may photo naman na. Let me rephrase na lang — I don’t want to discuss it any further.”

And just like that, the chapter stayed closed. Smooth.

In this short segment of the interview, I hope you were able to notice what I was driving at. 

Barbie Forteza knows how the game works. She’s learned (maybe the hard way, we don’t know). Of course she puts herself out there — she’s in the business of being seen. But even at her most visible, you can tell she’s holding something back. To be mysterious, we don’t know. To control a narrative, only she knows. But one thing is glaring, she lets the parts that matter stay hers. She can love the spotlight and still protect what’s hers. Both can be true. 

Barbie Forteza will not hand herself over to the public like a prize. She shows what she wants, and that’s all you get. Because her worth isn’t up for debate. In the time when oversharing passes for honesty, restraint may very well be a rare treasure — and that’s exactly what sets her apart. 

Of course, Barbie Forteza is what people might call an alpha — not by being loud or commanding, but because she knows who she is and doesn’t flinch. She has a fierce aura but she never impose presence. She walks into a room, and somehow, everything just shifts. She doesn’t need to take over. She just holds her own small space — and people notice. But if you think that all these makes her hard and jaded, you’re missing the point. Barbie has one of the youngest spirits and the kindest hearts I’ve seen in this industry. Her intentions and high regard for people are solid. She’s the Kapuso Primetime Princess, sure. But her mindset is still simple and grounded. All she wants on the daily is to do good work, and to leave with her dignity intact.

That’s the paradox — and as I observed, the center of who she is. 

That for me is power.

And the beauty in her contradiction.

Barbie stars in the primetime collab of GMA and Viu Philippines, Beauty Empire, and the mind-bending horror film P77, showing this July 30 — a day before her birthday. —JCB, GMA Integrated News