Why Beauty Gonzalez is on a roll

Since third quarter of last year, Beauty Gonzalez has been on a roll. She was introduced as a Kapuso actress via the romance series, Stories from the Heart: Loving Miss Bridgette, opposite Kelvin Miranda, and seen in her follow-up assignment, the drama-romance anthology, I Can See You: AlterNate, with Dingdong Dantes as a leading man.

Then, Beauty will topbill the GMA Afternoon Prime series, The Fake Life, with Ariel Rivera and Sid Lucero as screen partners. It premieres tomorrow, June 6, after Raising Manay.

“I feel like I’m floating in the sky,” said Beauty of the successive manna the showbiz heaven has granted her career in a recent press conference via Zoom. “Talagang pinaghandaan ko yung role ko dito,” added she, who decided to sport a new hairstyle with bangs. “As an actor, I want to change my look.” So, viewers can differentiate Cindy, her The Fake Life character, from Miss Bridgette, the guidance counselor, who fell in love with a student, and Sheila, the wife, who saw the quirks of her husband and the latter’s twin brother.

“I’m thankful to GMA na binibigyan nila talaga ako ng (mga) magagandang story,” shared Beauty, who feels blessed because any actor wants diversity in roles, “gusto mo yung ganun, iba-iba yung nakikita sa’yo ng mga tao and whatever role that is given to you, they can relate to it. I’m very thankful.”

Working with veteran and award-winning fellow stars like Tetchie Agbayani, Ariel Rivera and Sid Lucero was an added pressure on her part but she handled it by being prepared and giving her best. Beauty was glad to be reunited with her Stories from the Heart: Loving Miss Bridgette director Adolf Alix Jr. and crew that are also behind The Fake Life.

As the person who is in charge of putting aspects of production in harmony, direk Adolf said he respects the actors’ space in approaching their roles, which Beauty has first-hand experience in. “I just see to it na binibigay ko lang kung ano yung kailangan lang namin on the basis of the script (that I give what’s needed as dictated by the script), kung paano sila makapunta dun (and their way to surface and interpret the character), I respect their own choices as actors.”

What also the director and the cast members like Beauty find exciting about The Fake Life is, it showcases the talents that represent different generations and traditions of acting.

“It’s their interplay as actors, which is exciting and interesting for me as a director, kung paano nila ginagawa yung mga roles nila, pag nag-sama-sama sila, iba-iba rin ang mga pag-atake nila sa roles nila,” said Adolf. “It’s exciting for me on how to orchestrate all their performances as actors and paano mapalabas yun to push the story forward. When you put them together in a particular scene, minsan kahit simple lang yung eksena, if they put their own (best) foot forward as actors, it becomes a very interesting piece when you watch it.”

In portraying Cindy, Beauty had to understand why her character becomes someone “marupok,” who can fall for men easily, and simply wants to love. “When I accept a role (or a character), I don’t make any judgment of her. I read the script, iniintindi ko siya,” said she, who got curious about her character’s plight and took on the challenge. “I have friends and I know people who feel the same way Cindy feels. Wala kasi siyang concept of love, hindi niya naintindihan yung love. Basta sa kanya, love, love, love, paano ba (siya) maiintindihan ng tao, na yun lang naman ang gusto (niya), love, parang ganun. It’s a challenge and I’m very excited (Cindy doesn’t have a clear concept of love or she perhaps doesn’t understand what it is. She just wants others to know that she wants love).”

With all those career blessings, Beauty values them and is thankful to GMA and new collaborators that believe in her skills, and to her husband, Norman Crisologo, who supports her.

“Hindi ko magagawa itong lahat kung wala yung suporta niya sa akin, gusto niya kasi I’m gonna work as much as I want,” said she, “and I promised them (Norman and our daughter Olivia) that, you know, after six years, I’m gonna stop and I wanna make the most of it (acting) now.” And her promise is premised on the idea of spending more time with family. Her daughter is turning six this year.

“I went back to work seven months pa lang siya, bumalik na ako sa TV,” recalled she. “Then, tuloy, tuloy na yung projects ko, nakita ng asawa ko na I enjoy it, he wants a happy wife and a happy life, so support siya sa akin.” Beauty wants to be around when her daughter gets older or becomes a teenager. “I really have to be back home, I really have to be there and support her, every aspect ng pagdadalaga (niya), galing ako dun,” said she. “Gusto ko nanduon ako.”

With that, Beauty is more inspired to enjoy every acting assignment presented to her and to give her best. “Kaya ngayon ginagalingan ko talaga kasi I want the last few years of my acting career to be the best and I want my daughter to be proud of me and my husband,” she concluded.