Body Talk with Bela Padilla

The irony of it all is that Bela (not with double “L”) Padilla is color-blind.

“I don’t judge people by the color of their skin,” Bela stressed. “I judge them by their character.”

So when the cover of FHM magazine’s latest issue showing her with a group of colored models in the background, captioned Bela Padilla Stepping Out of the Shadows, created a howl of protest, accusing her of being a racist, Bela felt sad.

“I’m not the type who hurts people,” she said, adding it was never her intention, nor that of the FHM guys, to offend.

So controversial has it become that the “racist” issue was tackled by the international media including CNN, BBC and The New York Daily News (which printed a photo of the cover along with a story), prompting Bela to go on national television (both local and foreign) to say how sorry she was over the incident.

Uploaded to the Internet before it hit the newsstands, the controversial cover photo was replaced by another photo showing Bela alone (in the same red bikini) with a new caption — Bela Padilla: I Want to Emerge With My Own Name. The mag was sold out, now a collectors’ item.

You wonder, was it the caption that some people found “racist” or was it the photo? Had FHM put a colored girl with a group of white ones in the background, would it have generated the same controversy?

Whatever. Anyway, the brouhaha turned the newcomer into a media star and boosted her stock as a Kapuso (cast in the latest soap, Hiram na Puso).

Half-Brit and half-Pinay, Bela, 21 (managed by Claire dela Fuente like Sam Pinto), is a true-blue Padilla (Robin is one of her uncles).

How did you prepare for the FHM cover?

“I jogged a couple of times in UP but I didn’t cut down on food. I don’t believe in crash diets. Instead, I eat healthy. By the way, the pictorial was originally scheduled in Cebu but after the earthquake there, we did it somewhere else.”

Is that the sexiest you can go so far?

“Yes. I can’t imagine myself doing something sexier than that.”

— Photos by XANDER ANGELES,courtesy of FHM magazine

Are you ready to do sexy roles?

“Not yet. I’m still trying to learn my craft. I think those scenes are better left for more experienced actors who have less inhibitions. And I don’t think it’s suitable for my age yet especially since the people who seem to appreciate my work are fairly young.”

What kind of diet do you follow?

“I eat all types of food in moderation. I don’t skip rice or other forms of carbs because I’m a very active person. I move a lot and I have so many activities so I need the energy from sugar and carbs. I love eating vegetables, too, so that’s a plus.”

What’s usually for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

“Breakfast — cereals or pancakes…I like bacon that’s really crispy. And Tocilog (my favorite) or French toast and eggs.

“Lunch — any type of meat and rice and soup.

“Dinner — same as lunch, hahahaha! Sometimes, my meals depend on what I find in the ref that I can mix, like if we have zucchinis and salmon, I stir-fry that in olive oil and add green grapes and pepper. I don’t cook that much so I like basic mixing. I enjoy adding flavors. We never run out of Japanese mayo at home and different kinds of local vinegar.”

Snacks between meals?

“A lot. I love salted pretzels. Sometimes I mix and match. Blue cheese and veggie crackers with chocolates on the side, or prunes and nuts, hahahaha! I enjoy really strong flavors. Eating is my passion. Usually my mom and I go out to try different restos for merienda. We hardly repeat restaurants so we can try new things. But we do have our top picks.”

What kind of food do you always crave for and what do you avoid?

“I usually crave for home-cooked Filipino food with rice because we seldom eat that at home. I avoid fast food. Since I started going to the gym, eating fast food has been a bit of a no-no. I enjoy the comfort ‘drive-thru’ gives but lately I’d rather have proper meals where I can sit and enjoy the food in front of me.”

How much water do you take per day?

“I drink lots of room temperature water. I only drink cold water on exceptionally hot days. I don’t drink that much soda anymore. But when I do, I prefer grape or strawberry, it’s a shame we don’t have fanta here, hahahaha! I can drink a huge bottle of apple juice in one sitting. And orange juice in the morning, but the real kind, the one that’s a bit bitter. And hot tea late at night (I always pick peppermint).”

What vitamins do you take?

“Lately, I haven’t been taking any, but I should.”

What workout do you do?

“I have a trainer and he tells me what program we do for certain weeks. When we were starting, he gave me sets that would strengthen my back and core. I’m not that much of a gym person; I haven’t been to one in a while actually. So sometimes, I ask my trainer’s permission to jog in UP. Instead of staying inside the gym, I do four rounds in UP and I feel like I do the same amount of work.”

What part of your body needs some improvement?

“I want more defined abs.”

What part is most vulnerable?

“My heart, hahahaha! I’m just kidding. I actually don’t know; I feel pretty fit.”

And what part is your favorite?

“My long legs.”

What part naman of a guy’s body do you notice first?

“Uuhhh…I don’t know. I actually check out the height first, hahahaha! I also like strong jaws.”

What else in a guy turns you on?

“Nice teeth.”

What’s in a guy that turns you off?

“Dirty fingernails.”

The old and the new: FHM guys had to replace Bela’s picture on the cover after the first one (Bela in front with colored girls in the background) was met with protest for its being ‘racist.’ Would it have created the same controversy if the photo showed a colored girl in front with white ones in the background?

How’s your love life? Do you have a boyfriend?

“Nope. Zero. Zilch. Nada.”

How much sleep do you get per night?

“I seem to have developed insomnia from taping, so I need to improve my sleeping habits. I usually sleep at 3 or 4 a.m. no matter what time I have to wake up the next day.”

Do you snore?

“Nope.”

Do you talk in your sleep?

“Nope.”

Do you sleepwalk?

“Nope. (Actually, I wouldn’t know, but from what my mum tells me…no).”

Do you have a night life?

“No. I like staying at home. I’d go out for a movie once in a while but I don’t go to clubs ‘coz I don’t smoke. The air in clubs hurts my eyes, and I’d frankly rather not go to make my eyes used to it because I want to keep people wondering where I am. I feel like us actors are so accessible. I like the idea of vaudeville or old Hollywood where people wait for the next chance they get to see the actors.”

Favorite sleepwear?

“I like smooth but thick fabrics ‘coz I get cold easily. So sometimes, I wear pajamas or a sweater and soft shorts to bed. And I NEED to have a blanket at all times. I feel exposed without it.”

Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“I read. Then I pray. Or sometimes the prayer comes first then I read a book to help me doze off, which is hard because once I start reading a new book, I can’t seem to put it down until I’m finish reading it.”

First thing that you do when you wake up?

“I usually think of what I need to do. Not just for the day but with my life, hahahaha! My mornings are heavy.”

How many pillows do you sleep with?

“At least two pillows.”

How do you cope with stress?

Bela (leftmost) with the cast of the GMA soap Hiram na Puso (from left): Gardo Versoza, Ayen Laurel, Kris Bernal and Gina Alajar

“I drive. Driving alone gives me time to think. When I need a blank mind I swim, ‘coz when you’re swimming you can’t think too much. You have to focus on breathing and staying alive, hahahahaha!”

Favorite city?

“Bangkok. And ideally, Paris.”

Favorite hideaway?

“My room. And the beach.”

How long does it take you to fix yourself?

“Twenty minutes. I hate making people wait.”

Are you vain like most good-looking girls?

“Not that much. I need to look good for work, not because I feel like I need to prove something. (Does that make sense to you? ‘Coz it does to me.)”

Name three men that you think have nice bodies.

“Aljur Abrenica, Mikael Daez and Jake Cuenca.”

And three women that you think have nice bodies?

“Hhhmmm…Anne Curtis, Iza Calzado and Solenn Heussaff.”

Using only body language, how would you make a guy know that you admire him?

“Smile.”

Bela was born on May 3, 1991, to a pure-British father and a pure-Filipina mother.

The family moved around Asia a lot before settling in the Philippines. Bela studied at Casa Montessori International School and Colegio San Agustin’s foreigners classes.

“Right now,” she said while in the midst of the FHM controversy, “I’m just focusing on keeping my head above the water to feel the contrast of the cool air against the warm water I’m in.”

She started in GMA two years ago and has been a part of several shows like Endless Love, Party Pilipinas, Sisid, I Laugh Sabado and Machete.

Is she close to the Padillas?

“Yes, especially to Mama Eva (Cariño, Robin’s mother) and my titas. They’re like my moms, too. And since my siblings are much older than I am, I bond with my cousins who are my age more.”

And when does her “being a Padilla” emerge?

“Lumalabas ang pagka-Padilla ko when I do my scenes. It’s like I was born to do this because I enjoy it so much. I’m usually afraid of any type of pain in the real world, but for my shows I’ve done things I never thought I would do.”

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