No more ‘bread trip‘ for Glenda

Back when teleseryes were still called drama anthologies, Glenda Garcia was chalking up acting experience equivalent to a dozen college degrees.

She flew into a rage, lost her wits, fell in love with the wrong man as the insecure Leona in GMA 7’s now-defunct Valiente.

Her multi-layered performance did more than just stir the viewers’ emotions at primetime. It got Glenda an acting nomination from the Star Awards for TV.

"I experienced the gamut of negative emotions – possessiveness, anger, greed – as Leona for three-and-a-half years. That’s where I ‘grew up’ as an actress," explains Glenda.

People she met on the streets hated Leona’s guts, and learned to revile Glenda herself. But Glenda hardly felt crushed. In fact, she was on Cloud 9 when she learned about people’s strong reactions to Leona.

It was easy to jump from one drama anthology to another. Glenda didn’t have just one but a couple of baptisms of fire as an actress. ABS-CBN’s Anna Luna, for which she was nominated Most Promising TV Personality, Lovingly Yours, Helen, even a sitcom, To Sir With Love, and the horror series Regal Shockers.

"I owe a lot to director Argel Joseph (of Lovingly Yours). He would make us report for taping everyday. But don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining at all. In fact, that’s how I learned the ropes of the trade," recalls Glenda.

Even when she quit showbiz for two years to concentrate on her food business, Glenda couldn’t shake off the acting bug. As far as she’s concerned, it’s clearly something she’s stuck with for life.

So, like her contemporary Jean Garcia, whose roles she’d enjoy playing given the chance, Glenda is back in the groove. She just finished playing Jeffrey Santos’ girlfriend in Dayo. Up next for her is Rice Mill (Kiskisan) with Halina Perez and Anita Linda, among others.

Time has mellowed Glenda’s perspective as an actress. Like most enduring performers, she looks at her work, no longer as a mere bread trip (which she admits being guilty of years back), but as a source of personal fulfillment.

"I’ve reached a stage in my life when money is secondary. It’s the role that counts. I don’t want those that cast me as mere decoration on TV or on the movies. The role must create an impact," Glenda reasons out.

An example of a to-die-for role, she explains, is something like Jean’s Madame Claudia and Eula Valdez’s portrayals in ABS-CBN’s Pangako sa ’Yo.

And Glenda is especially thrilled working in a TV series, because "you can develop your character any which way you want." Her TV directors, in deference to her talent and experience, give her free rein in interpreting her character. They know Glenda will shun mediocrity and give her role all she’s got.

ABS-CBN just called out of the blue one day, and offered her to play Eula’s friend in jail for Darating ang Umaga. And to think Glenda has no manager to broker roles for her.

"Maybe they remember my past performances," she tries to explain why the Star Network remembered her after all these years despite all the new talents that have come its way.

It also proves one thing: good actresses will never fade away. They will always be remembered, nay, even get better through the years. A TV soap, however popular, will always give way to a newer, more exciting one.

But as long as she continues to feel that adrenaline rush for her craft, Glenda Garcia need not worry. She will stay in the public’s eye and in the directors’ mind for a long time.