Denise harvesting her own ‘laurels’

"So what if I’m a Laurel?"

That’s what Denise Laurel, sweet sixteen, smilingly tells anybody who asks if she’s a Laurel from the clan which has raised such great star/artists as Celia Diaz-Laurel, Cocoy Laurel, Franco Laurel and Iwi Laurel (who dropped out of the music scene after coming up with the hit song Special Memory which is still often played on FM stations these days).

"Am I ‘ashamed’ or ‘embarrassed’ to be a Laurel?" asked the bubbly Denise who’s a carbon-copy of her Lola Celia. "No, I’m not. In fact, I’m proud to be one. I just don’t want people to think that I’m using my family name to move forward. I want to do it on my own merits. So when people say, ‘Oh, so you’re a Laurel!’, I usually answer, ‘So what if I’m a Laurel!’ Jokingly, of course."

And just because she’s a Laurel (youngest of the four children of David Laurel, one of Celia and the late Doy’s children, and wife Ruby) doesn’t mean that things come easy for Denise.

"Nothing has ever been offered to me on a silver platter as far as my career is concerned," said this petite (5’1") bundle of talent who will be seen on Rouge, the 14-episode action-comedy-drama TV series which will start airing on Oct. 7 on MTV Asia (check out the time on cable channels Destiny, SkyCable, Home and Dream), along with kababayan Mariel Rodriguez, Singaporean actress/model Desiree Siahan and Vietnamese pop star/model Veronica Ngo.

"I got into the series without pulling strings," added Denise who has a wealth of acting experiences to her own credit, starting at seven years old when she had her theater debut in repertory Philippines’ South Pacific. "I did it on my own."

Believe it or not but more than 500,000 showed up for the auditions conducted all over Asia.

"During the auditions here," recalled Denise, "I came in last, so I didn’t know how many came before me. I wasn’t supposed to go because I was in church with a friend, but I went anyway at the last minute."

During the auditions, the aspirants were made to sing, read parts of the script and go through a no-holds-barred interview.

She and Mariel hurdled the first audition and the two of them, plus eight other girls from various parts of Asia, underwent a more rigid audition where they asked to do a 10-minute self-introductory speech, sing and play a musical instrument (of their choice) and execute their martial-arts skills in one-on-ones with a karate instructor. Three weeks later, the four lucky girls were informed that they made it. Whew!

"The martial-arts skills and the singing-dancing talent are very important because in the series we play band members by day and spies (undercover agents Charlie’s Angels-style) by night. The band’s name is Rouge and I play Pat, the leader."

Denise and Mariel shared an apartment in Singapore during the rehearsals and the shooting that took more than six months.

"We did our own stunts," said Denise. "No wires, no nets, nothing! One time, I broke my neck and I had to wear a brace for a week. As soon as I recovered, I went right back to work."

Rouge is the highest "laurel" Denise has harvested so far – and she’s deadset on gathering more, just wait and see.

She took the Rouge role well-prepared. She has trained under the guidance of Topher Ricketts (of Bakbakan International), Ronnie Ricketts’ brother who also teaches Hollywood stars martial arts.

After her debut in South Pacific, Denise did more theater work in Miong, Annie, Once on This Island, Lion King and Celebration 3. She performed as guest artist in Nora Aunor’s Araneta Coliseum concert a few years ago, playing the young Nora in the rendition of the Barbra Streisand song People; and sang solo in her Uncle Cocoy’s concert and the APEC music presentation.

She was also a member of the defunct ABS-CBN kiddie show Ang TV and, later, became a mainstay of the ABS-CBN teleseryes Pangako Sa’yo (as Chammy, the kontrabida) and GMA’s Click (as the scheming Bea); and guested in such shows as Walang Hanggan, ASAP, Wansapanataym, G-mik, Mary D’Potter, Star Studio, SOP, Maynila, Bubble Gang and Dadedidodu.

She has recorded audio selections on CD like Endless Love (where she sang My Memory of Him) and a Praise to All Kids CD. She’s also included in the Rouge soundtrack.

"I hope to achieve more," smiled Denise who has put her studies "on hold" for one year. (She finished first to seventh grade at St. Paul’s College in Pasig City and high school at the ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center. She has been accelerated to fourth year.)

So what does her Lola Celia say about her own "laurels"?

"She’s happy for me."

It’s her Uncle Cocoy who’s all-out behind her.

"Tito Cocoy teaches me how to sing," said Denise. "He’s my mentor; he guides me and gives me all the encouragement along the way."

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