Why Rica is ‘feeling rich and feeling free

"Happy as a lark" best describes how this young girl feels about her career and love life nowadays. Rica Peralejo has all the reasons to smile these days because everything is turning up roses for her.

Viva Films has been giving her all the breaks in action, drama, sexy and comedy roles in movies such as Balahibong Pusa, Huling Paghihintay, Buhay Kamao and Banyo Queen.

"Masaya ako kasi anak ang turing nila sa akin," Rica quips.

On the homefront, she has finally won her father over to her side where work is concerned.

"Okay na kami. My dad even watched my last movie. He’s proud of me and they’re all very supportive," she states.

Mindful of the success she is now enjoying and the many projects she is getting, Rica is still cautious lest popularity and fame get into her head. Though her career path still veers toward the sexy trend, she doesn’t intend to be known as a daring star for long. If there’s one thing she has gained in doing sexy roles, it is "honing my acting skills where we are required to go through a series of workshops."

Family for Rica is number one. Despite her hectic schedule, she still maintains a close relationship with her siblings. She is even said to be a Mama’s girl, something she strongly denies.

Asked to comment on sister Paula being in showbiz, Rica admits, "She ís much prettier than me. She ís more private. I’d rather na hindi siya mag-sexy. Ako na lang yon. But then again she has a mind of her own."

Even if Rica is a sexy star, she is proud of the fact that she doesn’t get any indecent proposal, a proof that people nowadays know when to draw the line between the sexy roles she portrays on screen and the real Rica. "The character I portray is far from the real me," she declares.

Rica, out of the klieg lights, is a street-smart girl who enjoys being with her family. She describes herself as emotional, mababaw given to laughing at any given joke.

Rica enjoys taking a three-hour dip in her bathtub. She takes a bath more than three times a day.

One of her rituals before engaging in a kissing scene is thoroughly brushing her teeth. She also enjoys malling but this has turned out to be one of her frustrations, a sacrifice she says she has to pay for being a public figure.

A singer at heart, Rica has already released one album. She hopes the next one which is in the works, will be acoustic soft rock.

Reacting to reports that she is being groomed as the next "Viva Queen", Rica says, "I’m not bothered by it. What is important is that we establish a family-like relationship in the studio."

Rica considers show business as some kind of school. And if she has to be graded on the merit of attitude toward intrigues, she would be getting high grades. Rica is not easily bothered when asked about her being a second choice for the title role in Banyo Queen. She also takes the issue on Assunta de Rossi in stride saying "sanay na ko diyan i-kokompara ka etc. It helps us in way pero with certain limitations, dapat.Wala po kaming war I know her but we are not really close.

In Banyo Queen, she plays a young vampire in search of virgin’s blood so she may live forever.

Rica believes friendship, honesty and trust are the best foundations for a lasting relationship. This she learned the hard way with her last two boyfriends Wowie de Guzman and Bojo Molina.

"With Wowie it was just puppy love. We were young then. With Bojo what was lacking was friendship and honesty. For two years we were just on, boyfriend, girlfriend. But we were not close friends," she muses.

"It’s different now with Bernard (Palanca) as my BF. We are friends, may trust, sobra," she shares. Bernard or BJ is also her favorite kissing partner. "Our underwater kissing scene in Sa Huling Paghihintay was the hardest one I’ve done so far," she says.

Did sparks fly when she and Bojo met again on the set of Rosas na Bakal, a telesine for GMA 7? "Wala lang, normal, di ka naman dapat ma-conscious kung wala kang kasalanan,"she maintains.

Rica is busy shooting another Viva movie with the working title, Dos Ekis where she is paired with Mark Anthony Fernandez. She is also busy preparing for a series of shows in the US this October. Another movie is in the final stages of negotiation.