Michelle Madrigal mellows down

CEBU, Philippines - Sultry actress Michelle Madrigal has been shacking up solo since the age of 17. The early independence allowed her to experience a lot of things, some she admittedly regrets. Nonetheless, she's proud of herself for making it past her wild days unscathed and swears she's now in the responsible phase of her young life.

"I used to party and go out a lot, that's why I'd show up late for work," Michelle, 25, recalls.

"I don't do that anymore. Ang bilis ko nagsawa sa mga ganyan because I started early. At least, I experienced those while I was still a teenager. Kesa naman may anak na ako, doon pa ako maging wild at maglalalabas. Now, I just go out for dinner, birthdays or if there are events. I no longer go out just for the heck of it. By 11 p.m., inaantok na ako."

Her elder sister, Ehra Madrigal, another sun-kissed beauty and actress like her, was a polar opposite. While Ehra also gave off a provocative showbiz image, she was a reserved personality off-cam, Michelle says. "Ehra is also independent in her own way, pero mas nauna akong mag-mature kesa sa kanya. Mas marami akong na-experience. For instance, I've already traveled alone. She's never been to the States and to Europe, while I've already been to Amsterdam, the United States and Paris. Matatakutin kasi siya. Pero sabi ko, mas may natututunan ka if you experience things by yourself. Kaya ang sarap mag-travel mag-isa kahit naliligaw ka. I'm more adventurous in that way. Ehra is very responsible. She didn't go through the rebellious stage during her teens. It's only recently that Ehra wants to go out and is beginning to enjoy traveling."

The sisters' parents are separated. Michelle admits she doesn't have the best relationship with her mom -- former '80s sexy star Karla Kahlua -- although she declines to elaborate on the reason behind it.

"Me and my dad are okay. But me and my mom, we're not very close. I have nothing against her, it's just that there are some things better off that way. Minsan kahit subukan mong ayusin, pero kung paulit-ulit and it's already too much, you'd rather just be civil with each other. It doesn't mean I hate her or she hates me. Mahirap lang kasi pilitin."

Ehra and her dad were the adults Michelle mostly ran to for support. But since transferring from ABS-CBN's Star Magic to Annabelle Rama's Royal Era Entertainment, she has found a second parent in her feisty manager of five years.

The former "Survivor Philippines" castaway says, "Tita Annabelle is like a second mother to all of us. You always see her mad on TV, but when you're with her, she's very kind and malambing. She would always call you up to ask how you are. If she knows you're right, she will defend you all the way. But when you're wrong, she also knows how to keep quiet. Kung meron siyang mga kaaway palagi, hindi kami sumasali sa ganun kasi hindi naman namin laban yun. Minsan sinasabi namin, 'Tita, tama na.' Pero siyempre, it's still her decision."

Michelle used to rebel as a teen, and was a headache to her handlers for not taking work seriously. She credits the Cebuana talent manager for turning her into a new leaf.

"When I joined Star Circle Quest, it was also that time when I had family issues and I was living alone. So I didn't know how to handle myself properly. I wasn't afraid of Star Magic. Although I was afraid of the big bosses, they were not the ones directly calling you up. It was the handlers who would call when I was late. When you're still young kasi, you take work for granted," she shares.

Tardiness is Annabelle's pet peeve, so Michelle had to straighten up her act if she wanted to be taken in among her stable of talents.

"When I moved to Tita Annabelle, she told me 'Hindi kita kukunin kung lagi kang late.' She's very strict with work. With her, I became very responsible. She always tells us that it's better we arrive ahead and be the one waiting than be the person other people are waiting for. If you only give 50 percent, the work will also give back just 50 percent."

Since her manager joined the political fray as a Congressional aspirant for Cebu's North District, is she and her fellow Royal Era stars worried that Annabelle will have lesser time to take care of their careers?

Michelle replies, "We had a meeting and we also asked that question na baka mapabayaan niya kami because of the campaign. She explained that even if she's in Cebu most of the time, she still works on our transactions or contracts and negotiates with the bosses through phone. We just suggested to her not to add more talents in the meantime, because there's already a handful of us."

If anything, Michelle should be the least to feel concerned among Annabelle's wards because she's had one soap opera after the other. After a support role in "Temptation of Wife," Michelle quickly returns to primetime as the wife of Richard Gutierrez's character in GMA-7's newest action-romance series "Love & Lies." The show premiered last Monday and will air for nine weeks.

In "Love & Lies," Michelle shares the leading lady billing with Bela Padilla. She treats it like any other role though and doesn't harbor expectations of being the next big female lead.

"It's not about being given a lead role. It's about aiming for longevity. I'd rather be someone who's not super famous, but someone who can portray a variety of roles," says Michelle, adding that her dream is to flesh out a psychotic or bi-polar character.

Michelle works on achieving versatility by improving on her acting and learning new techniques every chance she gets. She shares, "If we don't have work, Tita Annabelle encourages us to attend workshops. So even if you're vacant for a few months, hindi ka nabo-bobo and you don't forget the craft. May iba naiinis na lagi na lang silang nagwo-workshop. But for me, you should never stop learning especially that a lot of new talents are introduced every now and then. Kahit 10 years ka nang nag-aartista, dapat maghanap ka palagi ng bago so that you always have something new to offer."

Regular acting jobs wouldn't be the petite morena's main source of inspiration these days. If she's been extra blooming, blame it on her dashing beau, El Salvadorian football player Jonah Romero of the United Football League, whom she's been going steady for a year and three months now.

Michelle says she has accepted the fact that sportsmen like her hunky boyfriend will always be a female magnet. While her younger version would go on a jealous rage, she deals with these things now with a more mature mindset. "If girls go up to him, that's normal because he's an athlete. As long as he doesn't do anything else, there won't be a problem."

Her party-'til-tomorrow days may be over, but don't expect Michelle to get tied down anytime soon. "Maybe before I turn 30. I think 28 would be the right age to get married." (FREEMAN)