!

1
VoRNING atone ol
the studios rvithin ihe llby.inthinc
conplex of ABs CBN ddI an lrte.
Still slccpy. Slightly ne.vous.

ll

lS 10:20 IN THE

As I amlcd throughthe

crlwded

slatr .ntrance, gnige.ly avoiding th. vadous

elbows and torsos ihatblock my wa!,1begin

io skmrself qhyilre haguine thoudrtit!

good idea to givc mc this dsignment.
Fjght now, mlonltollion is to coniinue
dos.n thendrowcorridor-Fhich I do
docilcly until I am sho{n to asnallledge
like seat dght in ftolt ofthe stage the onlt,
unoccupied s!ot in the SnoirlDe sct.

I immediately idcntirymyinteNiewee
.nstagc with her co nosts.
Ever if you arenotpartialtothewayher

Fili!ino-Austmlian fertures and grac.f!l

mo\Emerts ! re conplementcd by her brlght
red dres, shc is nnpossible not to notice.
-4s avaiety shorv host, !roduct cndorser,
nodel, lelevision!cNon ib,,rna illn
fi

ne

acircss, Arme Cur-tis lresence is ubiquitous,

totheloint ihat ho

lcgions offarb ldorinely

the P.m.es* o/Allffed,la.
Althouth I \rould ha!. cxlccted it tu be

reter to hcr

as

obscNc $Lch aflscinrtingpe$on

trp-close,I afr s o ryrisingly bd'cly able to
con.enratc onher. There is simPly too
easy to

mucl halleningdoundmcthatlnnd
nyself slilling nlto ihe r

)le

ot Lhe easiiy

Amid rh. lo.d mnsi. confetti Lrlls onthe

hcads of liu ndreds ol!eoplc in the audien.e
are4 somc bcadng placr s ind icaling thcir
place of residen.e, work (onc cdrics a sign

slth thc nanc ofa toMl ir B!ta,nianothcr, a

!lace in Saudi,tabia.), or cvcn siudy (like the
group of collcgc girls lrcm CEU \4endiola).
Conpler dance humheN are intcNpersed

silh

songs, jokcs, ardmpidbaDterberween

ihe hosts and the audienre. Tbe setof
slho ri,ie is.learl!, not thc bcstlLace for
T h.!e no drolce hdweler.Arnc's status
rh industry's r.sidcnt it' gnl mlkes it
:\aremel],dillicultto gel a hold ofheL,\ride

-:

a her hostnH dutics jn

tr!

uriety

shows

j i :r i endo.sement ohligarions, shc is rl!)

' - :: : morie od gcttnrgreadj,t,)launch
:: - lal - x i( all m, rirled.{vNr-Disrosu.
:- :- :.. : alsoducio lcave tbrthis
u

: --: .io ihoot

-j:

i! ldis

the n.r1 day,

mlking this SrDd!,.me inicNiev an inlinitcl-!

bettcr optioD ihanaconversrlionovcrSkyle.
$hilc thinklng lbout all ihis, I suidenl-v
rcalizetliat 1 am actuallyseated inan
arearescned f{r lhe showt Bncsts. This
coNolutes my thoughts elen fu.rhel
distillingmyconfuslon into terasa
.aneramannlns the peolle besnle me.
whilc iheysmile and save,1tryto

kccpnybodyaslirbackaslossiblen)
lvoid being foreve. p!.t of

late lhatwlll

doubtlessly rcniain in the station'"s a.chi!.s.

(ln hindsight, this lea.is unfound.dgtuen the

unlikely po$ibility that ihe nost asiwad

pe*onintle xrm wouldle olintcrcsttothe

This mess of thoughts.nly slo!s s'hen
lhe showculs to a brcat ardl aminhoduced
Shc shakes

ny hDd and chiryil,r_

aslts

how

1 cm only stammer that I don't watcll

that rnuch TV so Ilnabitovem,Ielded. This
brings out a symlalhetic smile lioni hei
Shc tcLls de thai ifs okay Forso,ne strangc

rerson.hcrwordsc!ld ne.

(5

T'S DE]]N

FOUNTEE\ \ETRS,"

Anne tclls rnc as we tru insidc hcr

dressing ro.m 3lter thc show.

!o

rtccn !eaN.

Iti

lia rd

not

to be irnprcsedlv that kind of

longcvitt in an industry notodous f(r i ts high
tumover ntc, especi,llr" 1)t y.ung stds.
:1 his is s )ilething that thc 26-r"ear okl
cclehriiy knows all too well.
''rbu ca. bethe il' glrl, bntjNt like thnt
itcan diseplcartiomyo!," Anne sdys with a
$ip of her deli.elely long fing.$.
She explains that mllke the Ilolltrwood

tele!ision prorluctions thaL can last lbrteD

seasons,lo.al drams arcusuallymeant lo
lasi for tour or 1irc months. Thisleads to
a I ighly com!etitive enviroDmcnt wherc
.lrry ninor rolc counts for !s!iring staN,
sin.c "6en when yo! onlyluve oDe line and
itmakes arndk,then thrt'swhenyoustart
ger[ng more sholvs or movics."
HerclecrdcmoNt.rtes rhaL it tal<cs
a special conibination of dcdicatioD, !
wilhUness to constantlye\olve, and
perhaps abitofkkmet lo malc it ]n sucl a
4uDi c environmcDt.

ly
rc.

Growifgup in thnowrnga, asm.lt

sorkshops tbcused on thc technjques needcd

uttLlruJLLeF. lc: IrrA
thr \,,Lng.iLrrcs\ trus r usc.rndtcrrir.r

ralar

rown ofless thd I O,OOO

inhabitr.ts around uree houN awry tionl
Nlelboume, ArDc l,Irijc Ojates Cu js Srnittr
{rs disco\tred {,trcn, at lgc t1veh,e, shc
was apprclchcd rr)hc a omrncrcjat nrodct
,{usr

during ho lamityt .n nuat

tlie l'hilippincs.

t.Ior ltu\ diRl

builtu! emotions,h.wtorickihe
DaDnelishs of

hc
d
$,
s

"Butml,noDr,beifgafD.fthc!.jtipino

drd\brcir,she,nadchedoaVTn,

Whllc this sccrctVTRlvoutdtcad n)

selrml corrne rciats and a lat j. r rnolie (as

Prin(esa Dahtiain r997,s rlr. qtic Kinsdam),

.\inc diiltiheall]
as

cons jder these eady roles

dedicatedwork sincc the) mosrl:.iovotvcd

!lalint jrviih.ther.hitdrcn.
Howeyer

as

dregot otlter she lrlduolty

.calizedihar! ca.eer in shoa busnr.ss

requir.d somcthing rnore uuD good tools

r
h

plcasanfl v brLtbL,l.atritude.
"I tI ink that s ri.trar rtre traDsirion fi or!
bci.rachiu sior to r leadln!tada ora nraturc
act.css is -when }!u rertiz.rhir ir,sDotjust
ond

fi'n

ud

ga,nes arymorc.,,
ADD.\ !asc, thjs rivotat reatizari..
.rntc aboutin 2oo.r, r,hen strc hadjun
n1oledto]\BS CBN rom GMA T fNf erF
sle arrpeared h TY shows _,1 nna t{dn,1it1d,
1n

TGI.S, rDdsO4 to nanre a t'c$).

\s one of ho 1l Fr proj elts nr h.r n ew

lctrb.k,

she Nas ofte.ed

serson.d actrc$es

!parralorgside

Kis]\q!iro

ard DiDa

Bonnel,ic in tlie te/esirt?,C,;ua.

Stcph! nic Borunco. n r nct .hr H.r.r in
the slros,, prs uillegitimare clrjtdeirh aI flrc
requisite enotb n a I baggxge. The !.os!c. r

playi4 Sre!haDi. rerlli.d A nrc. .,1 was so

slrred, sifce I $!sso usea iogctring rcrlD
plr1, tlre Dal*bdlan, rvho,s,rd{.re an.l swe.t.
'rhis wrs thc Ji.st tirne rtilt I $Es gojDg ro get
of

an

ofir.arcluracter.,

R.iherthr.

buckle uDdcr rhe prcssx.e,

AtrDc .hose to work oD her actjng skllls,
.n()lling he.seLl in s,or trsh!ps condr.ted
by dire.tors dd vetcmns,ctors. Thesc

aDd

oltircial epressions in lront ofrhernirrcr.

Anneraxses in mid senicn.e. rhcr lauohs
aodtells DE Lhat jt. indeeilahetphrt
tcchdquethatslie stittsometimes uscs ro scc
ifl.crtJnre,nrc*i!D is dun. rht rjltr r \v.1\
'&als, n.n,,n\.r'l L n antofthc
caneru dd you,llmate arnjstakc.

.You
tno\', Uiis h ight be a coD a.tisL. ttnL
.evcrtr.o$, bur the ncxtthlng,]\nnecouldbe
kidralpcd or sornc rlr itrg,. ,\. ne cha.n ingty
hnnics I dccp !oice $,irtr aD Anssie rcccnr.
shos'bi7 irdus rry aDd g,slorrl nldqino artis!o
Ians @ai, disagreed. So, se.reth behitrd mv

d;

rtaiD cha.a.teN. andhorvto

cnannel peNoral cqrericn.es.

I laivcl} lsk ii this jnrclvesthcrmcticins

!a.!tior to

Iler lather anr\ustmtia. 1a$y.r, rlas

rgaiDsL thc idea rt llrsr.

hc

ce

"sdlars

nd,na, Ju]rg filnl, sir e says.,,Fitmis so

e4rensile Doe2dals, so ]!x,U want to ..nc
lo thc

set!reparcd.,'

Ttese s!.!strcps and tc.hDiques haye

ce,lainly gone atongi,ay rnatenycaN,

has evot\.ed tiorr ! buddinga.rrcss
ne6ous at tIe prosFct otllalinca.ornDtex
chatuctcr, toa ro! bilin!sta.$-ho has woD

Ame

!AX[\S, Lur., Dd Mi,I]-tr a$,ards tbr ho

actiry, nostnorabFtorhe. rote asFcliz!
Reyes iD the accl. incd movie Bo1e. back
in2008.
Nosrdal,s, ,{nne is eager ro mole

asrltroh hcr.omtod

zone

tifther

otrornDric

coDredles an d dramas.

''Im iotthe salb.haracterhere.

.eallr excired,"

so r.nr

of^,o Othet Wbthnn.

tle Ruel DoFn i-directcd movie that stre s
cuuertly working on with Derck ElnNay an.l
CristireRcyes.
1. tlis fihn,wlichwili bc releasedb!sr,.
she says

Ci.enaiD coo!era( r ili rh vi1,a Eihn;,Anne

flal s ! st kiDglymorcnratu.erot.,<h.r
characterdcals with the bxrdcn ofbcinrrh.
thirdpuf jothe lite of r inarjed.oup;.
Dcspite irerexciremcnr andeuthxsiasn, ir
.ccnr\ cleo .uror,rhthrrlLr
upc.nrure m!\ie
h!\ d.nr ljlt cto qucnch her trrrolrLDxriuu
with more challeDgin,j rcts.
\\t ledEfendrnr Drr n\h eo npl,trp!ife

IrncnL.

s rF ofeDt\ hupcs rhrtir $Il

. ,meh,rs to lo$ the trefd oithc L(uDrr\.-\
b.onnr! rndej endefrjith rntuter ii r,irh rq

up

Dot

r.convetltion!1 sojlts.
''Thei'rc lery sate here.,

she nuses. ,.t,nr

dksingth. Phltiptrinc enterraiuneit

industr,r at all, buittiatt \nratpeol].lo!.

ias/,. Peolle lile t.)waLctr novies kj forget
about their pmblcns. Or thevirst imnt

t.

!(

5
''I would love to do aD nnlie nr^,ie ifthe
dght scdpt cmre my vay. though. Thcre are

entertllnment indust.yhas so nu.h beart

to il. &d how its $aitcB aid dircctoN
takelaiDstakiDgc!.eto,n,ke su.e tlrt
sho\rs Dd commercials conncct with thc

rnany scritts that arc nice but have ro

So lct's hopethattheligllaye6 in
the nnllsha like Std. Cincrna, Yie, or Rcgal

''T,r a*a!, it reinlores Filipino valucs

sinc. cvcryonc nrvolved nakes sue that it!

lxxgh.l gucss uEtt wllythe d.vies lhathave

mademoneylre mosllymmantic concdics.

so

lunding.

will havc thchcaritotund these novies and I

can

getr.ole

in lhem."
T ],EA\TE THE ANS C]]\
CoMf],!\ lplaythealdiolileof

the inteNie\ton the cdradio.

whil. driviDg aLong

DSA,I

see

, successlonot

Anne! bill1)odds. sorrc advertisirg the

nushrloDing delelopmenls olSI,IDC,

olheN sellingthe productsof L'Oranl,

GinebraSdMiguel, and Snart rtlccon.

S,nleho$,, llstening to -Annet loice while
sccingallflrcsc billboards makeshe think
ofthe !e.son heI ind her ldgcr thar litu
status a ha dworking perso. {'ho is elsv to
t.lk to and symplthize lvith.
l smile as 1 rc.all her nostdlgi. anecdotes
about her siD!le ,nd laidlack childhood
Howshe !se(lk) ri.leibikc to school.
otch a gmc ofDetbail or ruD
around thc track oval once the disnissal bell

suitablef.rthelahily, ortur lhe nen ofthe

hous., or lbr thc ladies,'Arne says. 'l{s ar
actress, youluveto.eallyfi nd y,)!r niche,
so lhat yoD know lvhat you havc to $,ork

lyith nerloyll flnbase,il isclea.

lhlt

''If it rveren't for my fans,I rv.uldn'thave

bccn ablc to stay in this iDdustry for such a
l..gtime,'she admits. "You cd harc thc
talcnt md passion tbr $ liat you do, but
reallythen)lloserthathelpyou ccccd.l
1 slot anothcr SMDC billboadas I

iti

listentoAnne speak abouthos'lrvirlerhas

habaged lo put her in constdt toudr siih

h.rtuns fH.rT(nter.((nrniis fr)lI)wea
by over l.6 hillion sos, rnaking hcr thc
niost followed celebrity nr tIe o u nt.y.
It's inreresting to notc that thc ncrt most
lbllowcd lesonalities- Argel Locs in r nd
I{rh Aquino, both commad just half of

and lhen

Howshcwcnt onclrnping

toaotlsl(sto eamladgcs

as a

lx andh.d

girl Suide, the

AustaLiai equivaleDt of a girl s.out.

In tle same mDncr, it is easytofeel
for

ho

wcll, cspeciallys,hen I renect

she gocs tnrough or a

as

Tnis mrlreq nre.enien$crn.r 3n..dot.

about how, onscpamte occaslons and
on diflerenl.oules, her dad Dd a liicnd

un$ccesstully njed io couDt her b illboa.ds

{'hi.n tbeypassedon thc road.
"This is ele4thnrgthltI've w.rked hdd
f..throxghort these past tburtccn yeaN,"

onthe!ressu.e thal

How tough it rvas t. grow u! undcr thc

intense souiinyofthc medi! through her
youngeraDd n,ore c,re free ycds.
How tidng it sornctines gets wh en they
hait to go to diflerent lld.es on conscclltile
days to

sh.olhershorvs.

Tlui

is

why, I gxess,

1 co

uld only nod in

app.olrl *hen she spoke of thcncccssityof

nccding !edodic lacations, ,.d ho{, rehxing
edinteresting itwas to halc aconvcNation
*itharddom strango in a cofiee slior nr

A
to aD

I mull ortr s.ll this, the re.ordingrnoves

inte.esting point.

- nn.

is

talkiDgabouthowthe local

''You c!n see the billboards as

achielennts. l t b.corncs oaz),, but this
wasn't sonething tlr at wls !l,.ed .n my la!.
l've .eally worked h dlbrclcrythingl'
I litrd myself rc.alling my fe, rs !loLt

beingclptu.ed on.amcn in that livc

.S,h.rr.me cpisodc carlier-a ta!e of
which s,ould undoubtedly IeaLLte r\rne
frominenth ]\nd, just likc that tape, I
nnagnle a phoiograph )fx,hnila\ cirys.a!c
would cerrainl-v bc dotted {iih her numerous
,

r\rDc Cultis niay not kno$ it. butmor.

thatr!n]thingelse, hcr!a$ion nnd l._:
work hale led her n) becoh. th. :::: :