Mara Geriene
MANILA, Philippines – Mara Michelle Sagayap Geriene celebrates life with a vibrant spirit.
A New York-based up-and-coming screen and stage actress, Mara is inspired by the beauty of her surroundings and everything that the world can offer. With these sources of creative inspiration, she is able to nurture her many talents for a journey she is set to embark in her career.
Ever since she was a child, Mara has been exposed to the arts through her mother Hera Sagayap Geriene, who paints, and her father Marc Geriene, an entrepreneur, who loves music. “When I was little, I loved to sing! I would go up to people and say, ‘Hey, I can sing! Do you want to hear me?’ I did this to Jose Mari Chan, Regine Velasquez and Kuh Ledesma, even with Mrs. Marcos! They were willing to listen,” says Mara, who, at six years old, started voice lessons with the renowned Filipino composer and singer Cecile Azarcon Inocentes in the US.
With most of her time invested in honing her musicality for almost six years — playing the piano and the violin, dancing — Mara didn’t tap into her inner actress until the opportunity to attend an acting summer school in Oxford, England came up. Through this program, Mara discovered her love for acting. She was also aware that though acting requires talent, discipline is needed to strengthen the foundation of her craft.
“That was when I realized that I want to pursue acting and attend a performance school in college, without a doubt. In college, it became clearer to me that I wanted to be an actress and spend time in this industry. I wanted to be a struggling actress, as they say, and experience it all and be happy every single day when I wake up because I am doing what I love,” shares this 5’7” stunner, who graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York with an associate degree in Fine Arts. She has performed in New York theater productions like Rich Orloff’s 10-minute comedies called Nothing Serious and the AlphaNYC Theater Company’s Send the Ha Ha’s In.
Mara, who is of American, German and Filipino descent, calls both New York and Manila home. She fosters admirable traits she has inherited from her supportive parents who allow her to be the best that she can be. “My mom is a devoted mother and wife, and a lover of life. I learned from her to always be poised, always be gracious, and keep my manners in check. Having standards like being polite, staying elegant and poised get you very far. When you have those characteristics, people will remember you. People tell me often that they see me as someone who has gone to etiquette training and I always tell them that it’s all my mom!” she beams.
“I think of my dad as Superman. He’s done things that no other man can do in his lifetime. From him, I learned that every day is an adventure, take it as it is and enjoy life, even the bad times. One important thing I got from him is to always be curious. I am blessed to have a lot of amazing memories with my parents because they have given me the gene of adventure. I am so much interested in the world. There’s so much out there,” adds Mara, who also learns from her 11-year-old brother Jean Marc, who she considers her best friend.
“My brother is a reminder that innocence and happiness in a child is what matters. Through him, I am constantly reminded to always have fun and find the good and happiness in everything.”
Aside from her constant travels, Mara also keeps her creativity spinning by writing. She is currently writing a TV show, the content of which she draws from her experience in New York as an actress. She also started a YouTube channel, which chronicles her life’s adventures.
Armed with steadfast confidence, Mara is unshaken by the world’s many biases, may it be gender, ethnicity or social situations. In her chosen industry, rejections are inevitable but Mara chooses to tackle these speed bumps head on and learn from each one of them.
“I want to be the person who would create impact on people through my creativity. As an actress, I dream to someday establish my name in the States, enough that people are interested in where I come from and what I do. And hopefully through that I would be able to help bridge the gap of opportunities between the American industry and the Philippine industry. There are so many talented Filipino actors but they don’t get noticed. If I can do that in my lifetime, everything else is fine for me,” she notes.
As a new chapter in her journey is about to unfold when she moves to Los Angeles soon to complete her bachelor’s degree at the AMDA, Mara looks forward to what the “land of opportunity” has in store for her. And with every step she takes on the road to success, she carries the most important lessons she keeps near and dear to heart.
“There’s always a good reason to get out of bed in the morning. I am grateful for every day and the opportunities that I am given. I am grateful for the support and encouragement of my family and friends. This journey has so far taught me to always surround myself with positive people because they keep me grounded. Keeping my faith is also important to me as I push forward with everything that I do and seek out to do,” Mara concludes.
Photography by Mau Aguasin • Makeup by Ria Aquino for MAC Cosmetics • Hairstyling by Dave Lopez •
Styling by J-em Sta. Ana • Clothes from Elize Bride Shop and Mick Perez
