Rise, Angel, Rise
Angel Locsin sits with Supreme and talks about how she proved to herself that she can get through anything that stands in the way of self-love.
MANILA, Philippines — On what is visibly a hectic day of rounds with the press, from a grueling press conference to private interviews late into the night, Angel Locsin finds herself becoming a little bit more candid than usual. She’s often genuine but careful, even when she is at her most vulnerable and certain sharks in the entertainment water lurk, waiting for an exploitable moment of weakness.
Locsin lets her hair down as she and her team take a moment to rest their feet. Locsin is in fuzzy slides and leaning back in her makeup chair. (She quips, “Sorry, ‘di talaga ako glamorous.”) They discuss her breakup a few years ago, not in full detail, but with loving frankness, defining it as “an expensive breakup.” “I needed a new ambience, so nag-rent ako ng room sa hotel ng ilang buwan — ang gastos di ba?” she says with a laugh. “Bumili pa ako ng bagong bahay. Inisip ko, ‘Okay, independent woman ako, I’ll do my groceries and pay my bills and take care of myself; this is the new me.’ Pero pag uwi ko hinaharap ko sarili ko, iniisip ko lang na ang pangit mo at andami mong pinagtataguan.”
The General’s Daughter
Locsin says it’s one of her personal coping mechanisms to shut out the rest of the world when she’s in turmoil, and emerges only when she feels she’s figured her way out of whatever is troubling her. During this particular spiral, she felt the weight of her being a public figure more than ever and considered quitting show business altogether. She heavily considered caring for her family’s farm and possibly leaning into a more entrepreneurial role, away from the public eye, but the siren call of acting had yet to let her go. Her contract under ABS-CBN beckoned, and a unique opportunity opened up.
Dreamscape Entertainment, a unit under ABS-CBN responsible for creating unforgettable shows like Mara Clara, Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan, Sana Maulit Muli, Tayong Dalawa, had held on to the concept of a military drama originally meant for Locsin. It was crafted years before, but Locsin’s schedule couldn’t seem to accommodate an entire serye of this magnitude. The title was The General’s Daughter, and in it, Locsin would play Rhian Bonifacio, the daughter of a rebel leader led to believe that they’d lost their own because of a cold-hearted military family. She’s trained from a young age to become a human weapon and a spy, infiltrating the military as a star cadet. She rises through the ranks, only to realize that those she thought were her target were in fact her kin and learning how quickly right and wrong can blur together. “All your life, yung sinasabing masasamang tao, makikita mo bigla na may possibility namang hindi sila masama. So conflicted ka, kasi loyal ka sa family mo, pero iba yung sinasabi ng heart and conscience mo,” Locsin says as she explains her character’s troubled journey and the show’s exploration on a less black and white or rigid take on good and evil. She adds, “May line sa show na ‘Walang pinapanganak na tao na masama.’”
The show airs on Jan. 21, and features Locsin alongside some legendary heavyweights, namely Tirso Cruz III, Albert Martinez, Eula Valdez, Janice De Belen, and Maricel Soriano. “Iba rin feeling yung mga taong pinaghahangaan mo all your life, biglang katrabaho mo na at makikita mo kung bakit sila talagang magaling,” she exclaims with excitement. Locsin says that what she has learned from watching these big names is more than just technique; it’s kindness in professionalism. “Lahat trooper. Alam nila lahat ng lines nila. Bago sila umapak sa set, alam mo nang gumawa sila ng homework nila tungkol sa character nila at yung pinagdadaanan nila. They take suggestions well kapag may sinasabi si Direk, and walang diva moments. Kung paano sila kumausap ng lahat ng ibang staff, chill lang. It’s very humbling to see na sila at that level, very professional, so kami pa kaya!”
True Love
It’s no wonder that Locsin takes these things to heart, as she is regarded as one of the kindest stars in the business. It’s a trait that her fans are well acquainted with, who despite her absence in the smaller screens, have championed and longed for her return. When the teaser for The General’s Daughter aired, comments poured in from fans all over the globe. One said she was close to canceling her TFC subscription until she saw that Locsin had a new show on the air. Several called her “iconic,” and one succinctly wrapped up all the comments with a deft, “Yes! Queen is back!” Locsin shifts her eyes and humbly says, “Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa ko bakit mayroong ganun. Bakit may ganung love and loyalty, na ipagtatanggol ka at susuportahan ka. Super swerte ko talaga. Gumawa na ‘ko ng mali, hindi nila ako kinunsinti pero hindi rin sila nawala.”
She also adds that her fans were a huge reason for her return. “Iba rin yung may nanunuod sayo, may bilib sayo. Like ako, sa acting, kung wala namang nanunuod, bakit ko naman gagalingan? Bakit ko iisipin na gawing makatotohanan yung ginagawa ko, para kung may manood na pareho yung pinagdadaanan, di niya iisipin na mag-isa lang siya? Sila yung nagbibigay ng purpose.”
Moving Forward
“Kung hindi ako actress, baka nakulong nako ngayon, kasi wala kang escape,” says Locsin. She says she’s often pitched to play characters whose stories aren’t those she would’ve initially been drawn to, but once she got her feet wet, she realized how interesting humans are in their processes and imperfections. She notes that when she was a child, she never settled on a profession that she wanted, because she wanted to try everything from being a doctor to a policewoman to a fairy. “Acting pala yung gusto ko, hindi ko lang alam. Gusto ko mafeel lahat, gusto ko maexperience yung life ng bawat tao.”
Locsin also says doing the work of an actor has taught her that a lot of people just need more understanding. She notes of her personal experience with healing from a crushing life event, “Nagbasa ako ng books on healing and how to fix yourself; pinagdaanan ko rin yun! Gumastos lang ako. Pinipilit ko sarili ko and feeling ko okay na ako. Akala mo na andun ka na sa acceptance, nasa denial ka pa lang pala.” She laughs, and adds, “Wag mong ipush, at kung sinuman yung nasa paligid ng taong yun, tigilan niyo siya. Lahat tayo may prosesong kailangang pagdaananan. Ang healing, wala siyang shortcut. Kailangang may time, tsaka ka babalik sa moments na marerealize mong, ‘Ay. Kaya ko to.’”
