CEBU, Philippines - By her own estimation, Chynna Ortaleza has been a GMA7 talent for twelve consecutive years. That doesn’t yet include her “5 & Up” days as junior reporter for the kiddie public affairs show, also aired in the same network.
While most stars today are quick to switch network alliances when juicier offers are dangled for their taking, Chynna has chosen to heed her gut feel and show gratitude to the channel that plucked her from Kitikitext girl in that famous Sprite ad to a teen idol, and now a reliable character actress.
“Oh yes, that is a question I must answer because last year, I was really evaluating if I was gonna stay with them or not,” began the Luna Blanca star during a recent interview when asked what made her loyal to the Kapuso camp all this time.
Chynna had received offers from TV5 last year. These were tempting enough, that she had to take time out to reflect if it would be healthy for her to stay or pack up. “I did guestings for TV5 and I had a good time with them. But there was this something that was holding me back. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. I just prayed and prayed. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit hindi ko matuloy na lumipat. Kasi ang gaganda nung offers nila sa akin. They offered me the kontrabida part in Babaeng Hampaslupa. And then director Joel Lamangan was saying that he was going to get me for Valiente. He said that he felt he could use me better if I was in his team. But I stayed with GMA. I don’t have a solid reason why. Ang tagal ko siyang pinagdasal. Sabi lang ni God, ‘Diyan ka.’”
The part intended for her in Babaeng Hampaslupa went instead to Karel Marquez, while the one in Valiente is being played by Niña Jose.
Chynna says it felt incredible to receive that much validation for her acting skills from a respected and award-winning director such as Lamangan. “As artists, there are really moments when we question our abilities. Okey ba ako? Maayos ba ginagawa ko? Minsan, parang wala eh. You tried your best, pero you feel that you’re relegated again sa kung ano-anong roles. It was Direk Joel who really boosted my confidence as an actress, when he told me that I had potential. He’s my mentor; I get emotional when I talk about him. Kinatatakutan siya ng maraming artista, so it’s very overwhelming when it came from him.”
But it seems she had good reason to hang on. GMA gave her a six-year guaranteed contract which assures her of at least two major shows in a year, according to Chynna. Developments within GMA Artist Center, which has a newly-minted head and of which she is one of the original babies, is also cause for excitement.
“It has a new team and new committees now. As one of their loyal artists, I can feel that there are developments. We had workshops, they assessed us, and they’re currently in the planning stage. There are high hopes for the management team that they can uplift the careers of the stars under Artist Center,” beams the chirpy 29 year-old.
Chynna admits that a lot of people have asked whether she was frustrated for not having maintained “lead star” standing. To recall, she used to be one-half of an extremely popular love team with Richard Gutierrez which began in the teen series Click. Their tandem later on graduated to other teen-oriented shows, primetime soaps, and even made it to the silver screen.
“They tell me that I should be getting this and that,” she offers. “But with everything that has happened in my career, I feel that the timing is just right. I started with ‘5 & Up’ which was under News and Public Affairs, so I really did not imagine myself becoming an actress. When I was doing ‘Click’ and even during those times that the roles given to me were the teenyboppers or teen queens, I was already asking if I could have character or kontrabida roles. I wanted to have a wider dimension, and not just pegged for one type of character. The fact that I’ve been in the industry for 12 years already means a lot to me, kasi yung ibang artista hindi man lang umaabot ng ilang taon. But I’m still here, and they still continue giving me projects.”
When it comes to her romantic affairs, it is the same virtue of loyalty that she subscribes to: she has been going steady with former Click castmate Railey Valeroso for a good nine years. Long-term and stable relationships by showbiz personalities are still cause for awe these days as they are a dime a dozen.
Chynna reveals the secret to their smooth-sailing pairing. She says, “We were able to prolong it because we take it one day at a time. We don’t plan ahead. As long as we’re happy for this day, then we keep on going.”
Their personas being poles apart also serves them well, adds Chynna. “We’re opposites. His strength is my weakness, and vice-versa. Simple things, like I hate Math but he loves it; I’m the more vocal person, he’s very shy. That was why he was often misinterpreted when he was in showbiz. Or the movies I like are different from what he likes. Mahilig siya sa pelikulang Pilipino, ako mahilig sa classics. So it’s interesting that way, since we learn a lot from each other. I experience his likes, he experiences my likes. Plus the fact that we are both blessed with a complete and solid family. We have wonderful parents. He’s a family-oriented person; so am I. When we eventually take that next step, we want to be exactly the way our families are.”
That next step though won’t be anytime soon. While colleagues have been teasing her to finally take the plunge, Chynna does not feel fully prepared to go that route.
“Everybody has been telling me, ‘Hey, you’re almost 30, and you’re not yet married.’ No one is really stopping us from settling down. We just feel that there’s more for us to do. Marriage is not in our minds yet,” she says.
According to Chynna, Railey did not pursue showbiz because he felt acting wasn’t his true passion. Railey comes from a military family, and preferred to focus on his business that provides uniforms for the Philippine National Police Academy. He also opted to finish school, and now has a year and a half to go before securing a Business Management degree.
Aside from her current antagonist role in Luna Blanca as Doctora Divine, Chynna will be seen this July in Lamangan’s latest advocacy indie film Migrante. Here, she plays an OFW nurse working in Israel who is also a member of the Migrante organization (a group in the Philippines that helps OFWs in different countries). Chynna and the rest of the cast — including Jodi Sta. Maria, Allen Dizon, Luis Alandy and Jim Pebangco — shot the film in historic sites in Israel for five days.
When not taping, Chynna spends time with her family and does household chores. This youngest of three says doing such is what kept her a grounded person. The certified fashion plate also styles fellow actors and models when she gets the chance. She used to have her own line of fashion accessories called Stellar and took a course at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines. (FREEMAN)