Jasmine Curtis-Smith knows her priorities

MANILA, Philippines - For now, she doesn’t mind being in the shadow of her more popular elder sister. “It’s true naman,” says Jasmine Curtis-Smith. “My Ate Anne is more popular and I’m just starting my showbiz career so okey lang.”

She’s determined to use their full family name.

“Curtis-Smith is really our dad’s full family name so I don’t want to drop the Smith even if they tell me it’s too long.”

Born in Australia, she’s the second of three kids of Australian lawyer James Curtis-Smith and Filipina Carmen Ojales.

“My Ate Anne is nine years older than me. We have a younger brother who’s 11, Thomas. Our parents split when I was about eight.

“My dad now has a new family in Angeles City and we have a half sister there who’s still a baby. With his first family in Australia, we have three half sisters and one half brother.

“My mom naman has a daughter from her first marriage who now lives in Pangasinan. She’s three years older than my Ate. Our mom continues to live in Melbourne with me and my brother.

“When I’m in Manila, I stay in Ate Anne’s house in Sucat, Parañaque.”

 She has an offer to join her sister on ABS-CBN but she opted to sign up with the Kapatid Network. “TV5 is very accommodating. I didn’t want to give up my high school studies in Melbourne and it’s just fine with them for me to come and work here whenever I’m on vacation from school there.”

During the Christmas break, she started taping the remake of Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum for TV5. “I play Bing, originally played by Vina Morales in the original film. JC de Vera plays Ben, which was done before by Robin Padilla.”

But the story is now very different from the film as the TV series will run for 10 weeks so it’s now more complicated. Regine Tolentino plays my mom while Ara Mina is my aunt, with Jay Manalo and Ramon Christopher as the villains who are pursuing JC and I.

“During the fall break in Melbourne last April, I flew back here and finished all my remaining scenes in Manila.”

This month, they’ll go to Australia where we’ll shoot some scenes on location in Sydney.”

 She’s morena, while Anne is very fair. “Yes, this is really my skin color. I’m olive-skinned, and I love it.”

 Is she close to Anne?

“Very. She calls me her baby sister, even if I already turned 17 on April 6.”

So she met all her past showbiz boyfriends? “Yes.”

And the one she likes the most? “Kuya Oyo (Sotto). I was about eight when they were on and we became close as in hatid-sundo niya ako sa bahay ng isang uncle namin.”

 What about Richard Gutierrez?

“I wasn’t here when they were on so I didn’t get to know him that well. I know Sam Milby better as we went outing with him in Pangasinan and he also spent one Christmas with us in Sucat.

“I always feel sad when my Ate Anne breaks up with someone as I can see nahihirapan din siya.”

How about current BF Erwan Heussaff? “I love him. He’s like my personal chef as he cooks for me. Ang sarap. I can see Ate is very happy with him.”

Does she have a boyfriend? “Now, none. But I had one when I was 15. My parents knew about it, but I realized I was not emotionally ready yet so I broke up with him.

“I just want to focus on my studies and my acting career more. I’m now in year 11 and graduating from high school next year. For college, I want to take up either psychology or a film-related course. I just don’t know yet if it’d be here or in Melbourne.”

What advice did she get from Anne when she joined showbiz? “To be prepared for the hard work and sleep deprivation. Also to get ready with intrigues. Ayun nga, naintriga na ko as someone reported I was seen kissing Kuya Manzano,” she says, referring to Luis Manzano.

“He was never on with my Ate but I know him very well, his whole family. First time I met him, I think I was just about 10 years old. Kaya nandiri ako when it was reported we were kissing.

“He’s my Kuya, I can’t imagine doing that with him.”

Jasmine went back to Melbourne last Monday night. She’ll return here during the winter break in Melbourne come July. “I won’t be here when TV5 starts airing Utol Kong Hoodlum, but I already taped all the show’s promo plugs when they start airing it in June.”