But the chubby kid from That’s Entertainment with the sweet smile and innocent looks blossomed into a woman admired by many, desired by men, because of her infectious charm and naiveté and her beauty.
"Initially, I didn’t want to be in show business," the sexy comedienne reveals. "Like most kids, I wanted to be a lawyer, stewardess, or anything corporate." But as a teenager, Rufa Mae was skipping school. She was afraid her grandmother would find out that she was cutting classes and she concocted an excuse – she was auditioning to become an actress and a commercial model. To make her excuse believable, she auditioned for That’s Entertainment and was readily accepted.
It was not an easy rise to stardom for Rufa Mae. She was typecast in sexy roles. "I had to do bold movies at first," she explains. "It really took a long time for people to notice me as funny," she shares.
Her big break came when she landed the lead role of the box-office hit Gloria Labandera. The movie launched her as the newest sexy comedienne. Her unassuming, naive portrayal of her role in Gloria Labandera endeared her to the masses. A string of movie hits galvanized her stature as the hottest sexy-comedienne in the country. These include Booba, Hula Mo, Huli Ko, Mahal Kita Final Answer, Super B, Masikip Sa Dibdib, La Visa Loca, the suspense-thriller Radyo, among others.
She has worked with the likes of Rudy Fernandez, Robin Padilla, Bong Revilla, Regine Velazquez, and Ai-Ai de las Alas. Television couldn’t get enough of her. Her television credits include Marinara, Idol ko si Kap, Bubble Gang, Hokus Pokus and SOP.
Now, in her 12th year in the business, Rufa Mae admits she has reached "celebrity" status. However, she is quick to add that she "doesn’t really think too much about it." She has become more careful on what she does in public because being a celebrity is a lot of responsibility. "I feel that I have this obligation to be responsible in everything I do since people see me on TV and kids, women, even gays tend to see me as a role model."
She adds that instead of dwelling on the "fame" thing, she’d much rather think that she still has a lot to prove and her career is just taking off.
Like many actresses of her time, Rufa Mae also had her share of controversies and intrigues. One of them was her recent break-up with five-year boyfriend Rudy Hatfield. Rufa Mae admits matters of the heart always get her down. That it’s only her friends, family and especially her faith in God that keep her from completely breaking down. "I just pray a lot and thank God for everything," she confides.
Always a positive thinker, Rufa Mae admits she has no regrets about the mistakes she’s gone through. She’s actually much more accepting and faithful than most people give her credit for.
"I never look back," 27-year-old Rufa Mae admits, "Life is not perfect and it will always have its disappointments. Happiness comes with loneliness. The key is acceptance, faith in God and positivism."
The sexy actress also confesses that part of her "cleansing," besides crying to friends, also includes attending prayer meetings for three straight days where she would just cry and pray. And like a true Gemini, she admits she can be very contradictory and excessive. "When I laugh, I laugh, when I cry, I cry."
Considering all that’s happened to her, Rufa Mae still sees herself getting married and having kids someday but not in the immediate future. "Before I told myself I was going to marry at 26," she says. "Now, it’s like you can never really tell."
Truly an amazing young woman, Rufa Mae as an entertainer gives people what they want and never holds back. Hers is definitely a heart bigger than her boobs.
"What you see is what you get!"