 Bea Alonzo: “Your goal should give you direction”
Interview by Tinna S. Bonifacio
She surprised us all with her ability to play a character older than she was in her breakthrough soap Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay. From that time on, Bea Alonzo has proven her worth as an actress in such vehicles as Maging Sino Ka Man and the blockbuster movie One More Chance. JobsDB talks to Bea and gets her to spill the secrets of her success.
What to you is the best and worst thing about having a career in showbiz?
The best would be the money. Aminin na natin, hindi mo makukuha sa ibang trabaho ang makukuha mo sa showbiz. At saka hindi boring ang showbiz. As actors, we get to do a lot of different things and live different lives. Kaya ang dami kong natututunan.
Ang worst siguro yung puyat, at yung nababawasan ang privacy mo.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I remember something that Tito Ronnie Lazaro asked John Lloyd and me when we were still doing Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay, our first soap. He asked us: “Hanggang kailan kayo magtatagal sa showbiz?” I replied,”Hangga’t gusto pa din kami ng mga tao.” Tito Ronnie said that it’s really up to us. “Dapat, ang sabihin n’yo, hangga’t gusto n’yo pa. Dahil basta gusto n’yo pa ang ginagawa n’yo, hangga’t mahal n’yo ang trabaho n’yo, may dahilan kayong magpatuloy.” What he meant to say was, when you don’t love what you’re doing anymore, you know that it’s time to stop.
What advice would you give to those who want to follow in your footsteps?
They should follow their dreams. At saka kahit ano ang trabaho mo, importante na may goal ka. Mahirap yung sumasabay ka lang sa agos. You need to have a goal, to be focused, so you know where you’re going. A goal will give you direction.
Speaking of goals, what was your goal when you joined showbiz?
My short-term goal was to support my family. The long-term goal was to make it big in this business.
You’ve been in this business since you were 14 years old. What is the secret to your career longevity?
I love the craft. Sobrang fascinating sa akin yung idea na I get to be different people. In a way, it’s become like an outlet for me.
The secret to career success—especially in showbiz—is being able to reinvent yourself and make yourself constantly relevant to your audience. After nine years in this business, how do you make sure that you keep yourself interesting?
Sa effort siguro na binibigay ko. Like I do research [whenever I have to play a new role]. I’m really so blessed to have worked with some of the best people in the business. Masuwerte ako, binibigyan ako ng mga tao na sobrang patient sa pagtuturo sa akin.
Who are these people who have been your career mentors, and what have you gotten from each one?
Si Direk Lauren Dyogi; he really taught me how to act. Si Direk Eric Reyes, na nagturo sa akin kung paano pa palalimin yung acting ko. Si Direk Cathy Garcia-Molina. When I was really raw as an actress, tinuruan niya ako na dapat daw, maging open lang ako sa mga tao and I could never go wrong. Acting, she said, is about giving myself to my audience.
Who is your career role model?
Siguro in terms of yung pagiging totoong tao pa din niya inspite of all her achievements, si Juday [Judy Ann Santos]. At saka si Ate Clau [Claudine Barretto]. I admire Ate Clau, dahil kapag may sinabi siya, kaya niya talagang ipaglaban.
We know that controversies are part of showbiz. How do you deal with them?
Hindi ako nagbabasa sa Internet. Hindi ko naman kailangan sa buhay ko ‘yon at hindi naman makakatulong sa pagkatao ko.
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