Eyeing the limelight

It’s now enrollment time for students and after this, they will become professionals – doctors, bankers, accountants, teachers, nurses (oh, there will be a lot of them), physical therapists, etc. I have made this observation, however, that a lot of young people would still prefer to have a career in the limelight (I’m not saying all, but there are a lot – so I noticed) – even those already way into their college education.

Why a lot of young people are dying to become actors, singers and models intrigues me no end. To get into the minds of today’s youth, I decided to interview two young people who both aspire to be in the limelight.

The first is Eli Santander Nacuspag, 22, winner of several beauty titles – among them, Miss QC Kalikasan 2004 and Miss Fort Ilocandia 2006. Eli is a member of the prestigious Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP). Although she has a BS Tourism degree tucked under her belt, she would rather walk the ramp than make use of what she learned in college.

Then we have Michael Cruz, a product of ABS-CBN’s Star in a Million. Michael has already finished an album for Star Records called Solo 2. Not too long ago, I met Michael and his family through his good friend Nelson Canlas, who is one of Startalk’s head writers and is part of 24 Oras’ reportorial team. The Cruzes seem to be buena familia and yet Michael still dreams of becoming a major talent in the entertainment profession where there are a lot of hardships and heartaches involved.

Below, let’s find out what goes on in the minds of these two young people and what makes the limelight so attractive to them.

Why are you pursuing this kind of profession instead of a more traditional career?

Eli: I think that we have to choose a job that we love to do, so we won’t have to feel that it is actually work. This is what I want to be. When you enjoy what you’re doing, work is just like having fun.

Michael: I cannot imagine myself doing something else. It’s what I have always wanted.

How early in life did you start dreaming of this kind of career?

Eli: Not so long ago. It’s funny because I’ve been into this business for only two years. Everything happened so fast. Believe it or not, I just started wearing heels two years ago, and I got dizzy the first few attempts.

Michael: Very young, I was a very young dreamer.

Who were your early influences?

Eli: My manager, who kept encouraging me until I gave it a try. He was the one responsible for my first experience in beauty pageants. Also Mama Renee (Salud) who gave me my first ever fashion show. I was nervous then.

Michael: Everybody, TV personalities, movie stars and singers.

Are you into this for the glamour of it or do you actually believe you can make an honest-sto-goodness career of it?

Eli: Well, I’m giving myself a few more years with modeling. I also have plans of joining Binibining Pilipinas next year. But if things would be different as I expect them to be, I can pursue my dreams of becoming a flight attendant instead. Like I said, I never expected that I would delve into this field. Yes, it is indeed full of glamour. I must say it’s a calling.

I didn’t get into this career just for the heck of it because I believe I need to be serious with my work as a model and professionalism is one of the key tools in order to succeed in this career. For any career, there has to be patience, dedication and the love for work. Same is true with modeling.

Michael: I have met great people in this business who have stood the test of time and are extremely successful. For me, glamour comes after real hard work.

What difficulties are you going through now that you are just starting out in this career? Or are you over that difficult part of being a neophyte? Just in case you are done with that phase, what difficulties did you go through?

Eli: Well, in any organization or career, there is always a corporate culture that has already existed ever since the establishment of such endeavor. In modeling, there are the so-called pros who certainly demand high regard and respect from the neophytes. I have nothing against them since it took so much time, effort from them to get to where they are right now. Instead, I am really inspired by these wonderful persons hoping I could soon become a pro like them.

Michael: Well, there’s that difficulty of trying to make it in the mainstream. Nobody said it was going to be easy. I’m glad I get a lot of support from friends and family.

Can you already feel what they always refer to in this business as "easy money"?

Eli: Oh, I beg to disagree. Ever since I started modeling, I never consider what I earn "easy money" because there is no such thing as easy money when you put dedication and effort into whatever it is you do for a living. My job may seem so easy for others but they should not judge a book by its cover. What they don’t know is we work all day. Sometimes, call time is at 5 a.m. and the show is at 7 p.m. We do rehearsals and fittings on the same day.

Michael: I think there’s no such thing as "easy money" so long as there’s work involved. Entertainers work as hard as everybody else. I’m excited to know how all the craziness and hard work I put in would turn out.