What's it like to be Tween stars?

Looking at how Barbie Forteza giggles — or frowns — at Joshua Dionisio’s comedic punches and how Joyce Ching reacts to Kristoffer Martin’s seemingly endless teasing during a taping break on the set of GMA 7’s afternoon soap Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (ILAM), the message is clear that they get along perfectly fine.

They eat together and laugh without tension. Barbie even stops Joshua from interrupting the interview, saying, “’Wag kang luya, as in wag kang ginge-tera,” without the latter getting pissed off.

“There are many people who think there’s competition among us,” Barbie says. “Sa amin, wala naman. We’re all happy and for me, the more you get intimidated, the more chances you lose your focus. May kanya-kanya din po kaming diskarte sa pag-arte.”

“Ah, for us guys, meron, hahaha, but it’s a healthy competition to improve ourselves because our common goal is to do better in our every project,” Joshua reveals.

For Joyce, getting a fair share of the showbiz spotlight is enough reason to do her acting assignment well instead of dwelling on the negative. She treats her every role seriously and tries to give her 100 percent all the time.

“We can’t think about sapawan sa hirap ng role na dapat i-portray. Like here (in ILAM), I heard that Sunshine (Dizon) showed excellent acting as Clarissa, e ngayon po sa remake, ako si Clarissa so I really have to do it well.”

Truth is, Barbie reveals, “Alam ko napuri na po s’ya (Joyce) ni direk Mac (Alejandre) dati.”

But Joyce never seems to stop from improving her craft. She studies the script diligently and once she gets the feel of the story and the character, “tuloy-tuloy na po yun.”

She admits, though, there are times when she feels weary and cranky.

“When I feel exhausted, I just think about what good showbiz is bringing to me and my family. We all need little sacrifices, at eto yung akin but I enjoy it, yun nga lang syempre inaabutan din ng sobrang pagod.”

Joyce now enjoys the fruits of her labor. She already bought a Honda CRV and a condo unit in Pasig.

Kristoffer, on the other hand, is more than thankful about how people support and bring them to fame. He says fame has its way of turning things around, to which Joyce, Barbie and Joshua agree.

“Before, no one bothers to greet me whenever I walk inside the mall but now, many are asking to have a picture taken with me,” Kristoffer says.

Joyce agrees. “Ako nga dati, kahit ano lang isuot ko, ngayon di na pwede. Before, I’m just quiet and too shy to talk off-cam, now madaldal na din ako.”

Barbie, meanwhile, gets emotional as she tells, “Madami na kong nabibili ngayon gaya ng sasakyan at condo kasi dati tricycle driver lang ang tatay ko. Feeling ko nga noon di ako makakarating ng Maynila kung di ako nag-artista.”

Joshua, too, never expected that he would one day get to star in a show. He started as the young version of the more popular stars. Playing Charles in ILAM has given him much confidence to act.

“Mas masarap pala kasi umarte pag naka-sentro sa inyo ang istorya. Sa Tween Hearts din, masaya kami,” Joshua says.

But popularity doesn’t make them immune to intrigues. Joyce says there’s no truth to the rumor that she and Kristoffer are an item while the latter teases, “Crush ko talaga yan ewan di n’ya maramdaman, manhid.”

Do the Tween stars act as role models to fans?

 “Yes, it’s heartening to know that we inspire them. Nakakatuwa na ginagaya ka nila o nagiging inspirasyon ka nila sa pag-aaral,” Kristoffer replies. “That’s why we should all the more be responsible for our action, yung tipong makaka-relate sila.”

Do they still have time to relax?

“If there’s no work, I just stay home, nakaka-miss din ang bahay,” Joshua answers.

“I go home in Olongapo to meet with my friends during free time. Otherwise, tulog lang ako,” Kristoffer shares.

Joyce and Barbie spend time to relax either at home or in the mall.

Find out how the four Tween stars spend their day from the time they wake up until they hit the sack.

Barbie during work days:

4 a.m. — I have to wake up early if call time is at 6 a.m. I take a bath, put lotion after and then dress up.

4:30 a.m. — I dry my hair and put some abubot sa mukha like moisturizer and medication for pimples.

5:15 a.m. — prepare to leave the house.

5:30 a.m. — arrive on the set of ILAM. Bilin ni Kuya Jojo (Aleta, EP) mag-pa-makeup agad pag dating.

6:30 a.m. — greet everyone on the set and then I eat breakfast.

7:15 a.m. — after breakfast, retouch makeup then wait for the setup to finish.

8:20 a.m. — start of work, sometimes crying scene agad.

9:50 a.m. — I’m finished with my first scene and I’ll just wait in the car for the next scene.

11:05 a.m. — prepare to leave for another set location.

12 noon — lunch time.

1 p.m. onwards — read books in the standby area, rest or exchange stories with them while waiting for my next scene.

7 or 8 p.m. — dinnertime

9 p.m. until pack up time — work, work, work.

1 or 2 a.m. — back in the house. I change clothes and remove my makeup before going to bed.

Joshua on free days:

10 or 11 a.m. — wake up, drink vegetable juice then eat my first meal of the day an hour after.

12 noon — that’s the time I usually eat.

12:30 p.m. until mid-afternoon — rest or play basketball with my cousins if there’s no showbiz commitment like mall tours, etc.

4 p.m. — sometimes I watch a 3D movie with my family.

8 p.m. — dinner then bond with my cousins, kwentuhan lang.

Midnight — go to bed and sleep.

Joyce’s sked on a 12-noon call time:

8 a.m. — wake up, eat breakfast, take a bath and dress up.

Before lunchtime — prepare my things and leave the house.

Before 1 p.m. — arrive on the set and greet everybody before putting my makeup on.

1:30 p.m. — eat lunch.

2 p.m. – rest while waiting for my ‘take.’

3 p.m. onwards — work, work, work.

7 or 8 p.m. — dinnertime.

8:30 p.m. — play games on my iPhone or watch videos while waiting for my next scene.

1 or 3 a.m. — brush my teeth, wash my face and then sleep.

 Kristoffer’s activity during work days:

5 a.m. — I’m already wide awake if call time is at 7 a.m. I take a bath and do my thing in the comfort room.

6 a.m. – I don’t eat breakfast so after dressing up, I head straight to the location.

Before 7 a.m. — on the set, prepare for my scene.

8 a.m. — start of work.

12 noon — lunch time.

1 p.m. — taping break.

3 p.m. — snack time.

3:30 p.m. — resume work or I listen to music on my iPod while waiting for my next scene.

4 or 5 p.m. — work until midnight.

Kristoffer’s sleeping time varies. When there’s work, he goes to bed at 1 or 2 a.m. Otherwise, he’s asleep by 12 midnight.