A True Jewel

Jewel Mische, StarStruck 4’s Ultimate Sweetheart, is indeed a media darling. Actually, I already knew about this after I first met her last year when she, along with the rest of the Final 6 of GMA 7’s artista search then, came to Cebu for a mall tour.

She is beautiful (undeniably, a KC Concepcion look-alike), as she is smart and confident—one who never refuses to answer (and charmingly at that) any question thrown at her. This was the Jewel Mische I always had in mind.

I met her for the second time over lunch at Lighthouse Restaurant along Mango Avenue last Saturday, as she was the guest celebrity for Gaisano Main and Countrymall’s Shop for Scholarship raffle promo’s first draw.

There she was, the beautiful and talented Jewel, who moved with grace and was even prettier than the first time we met. Yet, she was still the usual Jewel—confident and sensible in her answers. Then the discussion shifted to Richard Gutierrez, her partner in the recently-concluded GMA 7 series “Kamandag,” and who had reportedly courted her even before the Richard-KC angle was floated and hyped by the media. There in her smile I saw something special that would suggest that the real score between her and Richard could be more than friendship. To this she replied, “Oh, I wish you could also see something special in his (Richard) smile.”

She described that what she has with the Kapuso Network’s most bankable male star is a “special friendship.” “Yes it’s special in a way that he is my first leading man after my StarStruck journey. He is my first kiss on and off cam,” Jewel reasoned out.

Followed up with a question as to how she would label her relationship with Richard, she blurted out with a laugh: “More than friends, less than lovers.” Upon seeing that the press scribbled what she had just said, Jewel then retorted, “No, I was just kidding about it.” According to her, she does not want any trouble and did not wish to anger some people. But the most intriguing detail I got that day was that Richard called up Jewel early in the morning to check on how she was doing in Cebu. Actually, they have been calling each other every now and then to update each other of their whereabouts. I suppose, the true meaning of being “special friends” is in the thoughtfulness being accorded to each other.

Anyway, professionally, Jewel quickly pointed out that her partnership with Richard boosted her career well and fast. “It helped me talaga lalo na sa primetime, the shows were coming, as well as the guestings. Pero sobrang pressure because he (Richard) is on top. I can’t help but think, what would be my next project after? So it’s more of a challenge.”

For now, she does not know if she will be paired with Richard again in future projects or. One thing is certain though, GMA Artist Center is cooking up a very special surprise that would showcase a different Jewel on her 18th birthday on June 29. She already told us the concept of this TV special but she pleaded to us not to write anything about it yet, so I won’t. But judging from her revelation, this would definitely present a new Jewel Mische to the public—one who’s truly independent, truly sure of herself.

Career-wise, she was already told what her next project would be but until everything would be finalized, Jewel is not elaborating on it. For now, she is bent on finishing her Music studies at the University of the Philippines, where she is currently a junior. She plans to take up a master’s degree in Music abroad. A devout Christian, Jewel has been saying no to men’s magazines, but admitted that she might change her mind in the future depending on the concept of the pictorial. “Honestly, I’m not thinking about it. I don’t want to be the subject of other people’s lust,” she quipped.

Jewel also composes songs. Her latest composition is a love song with a line that goes: “Why do I keep falling for you?” Teased if this is meant for Richard, she replied, “Whether it’s Richard or not, I’d rather not talk about it.” Fine, I respect that.

Jewel, who was branded as “pasaway” during her StarStruck days, has definitely evolved. Talking to her last Saturday, I can’t help but think that she was just misunderstood before. I had to ask her to describe herself to us, and to erase whatever misconception we have of her due to the bad press she got at the height of StarStruck. “I’m a simple person. I can easily be with, I love being with people. I’m a loving person, kahit sa Starstruck lagi nila akong bino-vote out, I don’t harbor grudges with them. I love meeting all kinds of people because I learn from them.” Interestingly, she was also labeled as a party girl during the competition, but Jewel confessed, “I’m a book lover. I don’t have a night life, church-bahay lang ang route ko. I’m a Christian. I’d rather stay at home and read.” She likes inspirational books authored by Elizabeth Elliot.

To those who are wondering how she feels about being tagged as a KC look-alike, Jewel confessed that she felt “flattered” before when she was yet not in showbiz because the mega-daughter was popular. But now that they are both in the same business, Jewel has a different stand. “People would make the other people look less. So I’d rather look my best.”

Jewel may be taking it slow for now but I won’t be surprised if she would make it really big in showbiz in due time for she does not only exude confidence and potential, she also has a positive attitude towards people who continue pulling her down. Open-minded, she welcomes criticisms as “a challenge for me to improve.” Therefore, Jewel is not the “pasaway girl” that her StarStruck contemporaries thought her to be, but a determined talent who has the right attitude to survive the cruel world of showbiz. 

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