Ara Poksback

The first time – whether losing your much-valued and well-guarded innocence or setting foot on foreign soil or, that’s it, winning an award – is always a memorable event, something to be cherished until you breathe your last.

Thus, when the "upstart" Ara Mina beat the veteran Vilma Santos in the Best Actress race at the recent Metro Filmfest Awards, Ara was rocked by "first-time" jitters, especially since her victory was marred by a walkout by the Star Cinema group which protested against the non-inclusion of Palanca winner Lualhati Bautista in the roster of Best Story/Best Screenplay nominees for her splendid work in Dekada ’70, starring Vilma.

"Thank God the walkout wasn’t against me," sighed Ara during a Conversation three days after the controversial (the single adjective that best describes the annual hoopla year in and year out) Gabi ng Parangal. "Salamat naman sa Diyos!"

Ara won for her portrayal of the rebel daughter Richelle Go in the magnificent Regal Films epic-drama Mano Po, directed by Joel Lamangan (Best Director), which bagged a dozen trophies including that for Best Picture. People used to seeing Vilma go up the stage to receive a trophy every awards night were "shocked" by the upset victory pulled by Ara. "What!?! An Ara Mina beating the Vilma Santos?"

Maybe they overlooked the fact that the two actresses were judged not for their body of work but for specific performances. That a "greenhorn" could and did beat a multi-awarded veteran was, to them, simply "unbelievable" and therefore "unacceptable."

That Ara shines as an actress (and not as the bold star that she has become known to be) in Mano Po is beyond doubt, never mind if in one big-party scene she displayed her rebelliousness to all and sundry by showing up in a red gown with her back exposed up to the intriguing line in her buttocks. Some people also couldn’t believe that a Chinese girl could pull such a feat, again completely forgetting that there are, indeed, rebellious Chinese daughters who could do much worse than attend a family gathering in a revealing attire. I should know because I grew up in a Chinese community.

"The Chinese are the sexiest people on earth," said a certain Chinese who begged not to be identified. "After all, don’t they make up one-third of the world population? Their number should soon reach the trillion mark."

Enough of the world population explosion. Back to Ara.

Now that the excitement has simmered down, how do you feel about the award?

"I still can’t believe I got it this early. It has been my dream to win an award but I thought it would take time before I’d get one. Akala ko it would take 10 years."

Movie writers were predicting that you would win over Vilma. Did you expect to win?

"They were even saying that there was a ‘leak.’ I read the write-ups (predictions) and those were only the opinion of the writers; walang ‘leak’. I wanted to win but I didn’t know I would. Siempre, isang Vilma Santos ang kalaban mo, e!"

Is that why you didn’t prepare an acceptance speech (a "must." I should say, for any nominee)?

"That’s why I was nervous when I accepted the award; I didn’t know what to say. Ganoon pala ang feeling ng nananalo. Did I make a fool of myself? I hope not. It was answered prayer, I guess. Days before the awards night, I made a novena at the Mt. Carmel Church (Quezon City). Ang bigat nga kasi ng kalaban, e."

Does the fact that you beat a Vilma Santos make the award more meaningful?

"I don’t look at it that way. Ayokong isipin na isang Vilma Santos ang tinalo ko. It’s very meaningful because it’s my first."

Have you seen Dekada ’70?

"Not yet (As of Jan. 2, day of this Conversation. – RFL) but I plan to watch it tomorrow."

Were you offended by the walkout?

"No, because it wasn’t against me naman. The day after the awards night, Ate Vi texted me. Sabi niya, ‘We left the affair not because of you...’ Nag-explain siya. I ‘saved’ her text message pa nga, e. She even congratulated me pa."

You were not the original choice for the Richelle Go character, were you?

"The first choice was Assunta (de Rossi) but when she backed out, the role was given to me and my original role, Juliet Go the obedient daughter, was given to Kris (Aquino, a last-minute addition to the cast, who won as Best Supporting Actress). It was a blessing in disguise because I found the Richelle Go role more challenging than the Juliet Go role. But it would have been okay with me if I got the Juliet Go role because the whole movie is good and every character in the story is important."

You look very Chinese and you sound very Chinese in your delivery of Chinese dialogue (just like the other actors in the movie). How did you "internalize" the role?

"The physical aspect was easy, thanks to our make-up artist! The tips of our eyes were taped to make them look chinky. Before the shooting, we were given taped copies of our Chinese dialogue so we could study it. We didn’t just deliver the lines; there were Tagalog translations so we would understand what we were saying, para talagang ma-feel namin. I studied my (Chinese) dialogue with my Walkman."

Your character was inspired by Rosebud, I’m sure! (Richelle Go gets into a romance with a cop, played by Richard Gomez, and then testifies in a Senate probe on drugs.)

"Medyo!"

What do you think is your winning moment in the movie?

"My confrontation scene with Maricel (Soriano as Vera Go, eldest of the three sisters) in the hospital scene showing our amah (grandmother, played by Boots Anson-Roa) dying."

Is Mano Po your first movie with director Joel Lamangan?

"No, it’s not. I played an ‘extra’ in three of his movies – The Flor Contemplacion Story (as the pregnant wife of Ian de Leon), Kadenang Bulaklak (starring Angelu de Leon and Ana Roces) and Anghel na Walang Langit (Vina Morales and Gary Estrada)."

First time you were escorted by your (biological) father, Quezon City Rep. Chuck Mathay, to a public event (like the Metro Filmfest Gabi ng Parangal). How were you able to convince him?

"Nagkataong wala siyang gagawin. Besides, Mother (Lily, Regal Matriarch) asked me to invite him. I told him, ‘Come naman, Dad! You didn’t make it to the Mano Po (high-society) party at the Tower Club and you didn’t stay long at the movie premiere, so you have to come with me this time.’ His presence at the PICC Plenary Hall made my victory more memorable. I think he was my lucky charm."

Does it mean Chuck’s public acceptance of you as a Mathay and a "legitimate" member of the Mathay Clan?

"Oh, yes, okay na kami... both sides. My mom (former actress Venus Imperial) and my (adoptive) father, si Daddy Romy (Reyes), accepted na nila at ganoon din ang family ng Dad Chuck ko, including his wife, Tita Nery (Nerissa) and his children. Even Lolo Mel (the former Quezon City mayor) has accepted me already. In fact, even everything was confirmed, Lolo Mel already recognized me as a Mathay. He never denied me; siya pa nga ang unang tumanggap sa akin bilang apo niya, e."

Are you close to the Mathays now? Are you invited to their family affairs?

"Always. I was with them last Christmas. I wasn’t able to make it last New Year’s Eve because I was so sleepy, so I decided to stay home."

Do you consider your having successfully traced your roots as one of your achievements?

"It is, definitely!"

What have been the changes, if any, in your life since you were recognized as a Mathay?

"The big question hanging over my head all these years was finally answered and it’s important for any child, I guess, na malaman kung sino ang tunay niyang ama o ina. Before that, there was a big mystery in my life, that’s why I like the song Reflection (from the animation film Pocahontas), especially the line... Who is the girl I see, staring straight back at me? That line is very meaningful to me. Akong-ako ’yung girl na ’yon; naghahanap ng kanyang true identity."

There’s no denying that Chuck and you are father and daughter...

"...sabi nga nila, para daw kaming pinagbiyak na bunga. We have many things in common, lalo na sa mga hilig. We are both mahilig sa kotse, maingat sa kotse. Like, if the dash board gets dirty, kahit konting alikabok lang, hindi kami pareho mapakali; we have to clean it with a tissue paper at once."

Didn’t Chuck subject you to, maybe, a DNA test?

"There was no need for that. I guess the lukso ng dugo was enough."

When was the first time you saw Chuck?

"In 1995. I was then with That’s (Entertainment, German Moreno’s TV show). Robert Ortega was running for councilor in Quezon City; he was my groupmate in That’s. He was running with my Lolo Mel under the same party. Robert invited his star-friends, me included, to sing during his campaign. Lolo Mel was running for Mayor and Dad Chuck for Congressman. When I saw him, I felt the so-called lukso ng dugo. Ang gaan-gaan ng loob ko sa kanya!"

Was that the first time you’d heard about him?

"Actually, I often heard his name mentioned by my mom. During that campaign, I approached him. Sabi ko, ‘Kilala n’yo po ba ang nanay ko? Ako po ’yung anak niyang panganay.’ Since then, I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Everytime I saw his face in the streamers, I got excited. In my mind, I began calling him ‘Dad’. Before that, many people had been telling me, ‘Oy, kamukha mo si Chuck Mathay!’ I even kept a calendar with his picture and pasted it at the back of my bedroom door. Everytime I’d leave, sabi ko, ‘Dad, aalis na ako!’ When I got back home, I’d tell him, ‘Dad, nandito na ako!’ At that time, my parents had already separated."

When and how did you muster enough guts to introduce yourself to Chuck as his daughter?

"Three years ago, Tita Nery invited me to a dinner, arranged by our mutual friend. At that time, write-ups were coming out in the tabloids about Dad Chuck and me. So I told Tita Nery everything. It’s not true that Tita Nery resented me in the beginning. She knew about me from the start, although ang Dad ko didn’t know that he had a child (out of wedlock). My Mom kasi, according to Tita Nery, used to bring me to my Dad’s house but never nagpakita ang Dad ko sa Mom ko. My Dad daw and Tita Nery would fight over that – ’yung pagkakaroon ng Dad ko ng anak sa labas. But my mom daw got pregnant before my Dad and Tita Nery got married."

Don’t you plan to have your surname changed from Reyes to Mathay legally?

"What for? To be recognized by my Dad is enough for me. The idea did crop up during one of our conversations but we never discussed it. What for? We have to go through pa the whole process. There are all sorts of papers to be signed by my Dad, my Mom and me. So what for? Besides, it might hurt Daddy Romy. Masyado na siyang nasaktan sa pangyayari. I call my Dad Chuck ‘Dad’ and my Daddy Romy ‘Daddy’."

Does you Dad Chuck meddle in your career, especially as far as sexy/bold roles are concerned?

"He doesn’t. Sabi niya, I know naman daw what’s right and what’s wrong, and what’s good for me and my career. My Dad trusts me completely."

Do you run to him for comfort when you’re hit by below-the-belt rumors?

"I just tell him the truth. I don’t hide anything from him. I can easily open up to him."

Aren’t you as close to your Daddy Romy?

"I am, but I seldom see him these days. He and my Mom have remained good friends. The last time I saw my Daddy Romy was on New Year’s day. I promised to bring my family (the Reyeses) on a trip to Bangkok if I won. I told them to pray hard na manalo ako and they did."

Did you get a cash prize?

"None. Trophy lang."

That’s okay. Anyway, your Osteria Italia (restaurant, on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City) is doing well since it opened early last year.

"Yeah, it is. But I want to correct a report (Published in Funfare, but promptly clarified. – RFL) that Osteria has ceased operation. The one that closed is the Cosmopolitan Cafe behind it. How come daw there’s a ‘Closed’ sign at the door sometimes? Broken time kasi kami, e. Osteria is doing very well." (Ara is a co-owner of the restaurant. – RFL)"

You survived the rumor linking you to Jomari Yllana (sufficiently denied). How’s your lovelife now, if you have any?

"Not exactly zero because I do entertain suitors at nakikipag-date naman ako. Pero wala munang steady-steady."

You could have been Mrs. Jules Ledesma, instead of Assunta de Rossi. You were courted by Jules before he ended up with Assunta, weren’t you?

"Feeling ko si Jules naghahanap na ng talagang pakakasalan niya and I wasn’t ready for that kind of serious commitment."

Did Jules really propose to you?

"Medyo ganoon na nga ang dating had I said ‘yes’ to going steady with him."

How was he as suitor?

"Super-sugid!"

Mahilig mag-regalo?

"Yeah. But I told him that I’m not impressed by (expensive) gifts."

What finally made you say "no" to him?

"’Yung kakulitan niya. I told him that we could be friends. Hayun, friends kami hanggang ngayon."

What kind of a man would make you give up your career (she’s turning 24 in May)?

"As of now? Wala. I’m much too focused on my career to be bothered by guys."