Kristel Moreno returns to her first love

All she wanted to do was resume her long-interrupted acting career. But 17-year-old Kristel Moreno got more than she wished for: A string of projects that keep her schedule packed from day to day.

One of them is Kapamilya network’s latest telenovela, I Love Betty La Fea, where she plays a mean office receptionist with body odor from sweaty armpits.

”Wow, I still can’t contain my happiness. I never thought I’d be given an opportunity to work with the likes of Bea (Alonzo) and John Lloyd (Cruz) this early,” Kristel says during her and the 19 other young star wannabes’ launch as members of Star Magic’s Batch 16.

And why not? Kristel is used to long hours of tapings and pitting talents with dramatic actors as early as age six. She even starred with Cherry Pie Picache in a soap Pira-pirasong Pangarap.

Kristel admits comedy is uncharted territory for her. Preparations are a lot different from the drama roles she used to portray prior to her five-year break from the limelight to concentrate on her studies.

“It’s easier to move the audience to tears than make them cry in laughter. My role is really good training for me so I keep memorizing my lines every day. I also practice delivering my lines in perfect timing,” offers Kristel.

Even when she was still in school, Kristel never stopped being an actress. She joined every school play there is and became a member of Dulaang Ama. This came as a surprise to her mom Annabelle who by then realized how serious her daughter is in her craft.

“That’s why when I graduated from high school (St. Mark’s) my mom allowed me to resume my career. This time, I will do everything I can especially now that competition is much stiffer than I thought,” Kristel muses.

Kristel keeps in mind pieces of advice from her Tita Alma Moreno who always tells her to give her best in whatever role she plays. Alma is the sister of Kristel’s dad Freddie Lacsamana. who is now serving his sentence in a Davao jail.

“My mom and dad separated when I was five. It is only my mom who raised me and my two other siblings. That is why I’m so happy I can now help my mom financially,” Kristel shares.

She relates how her mom used to work so hard in her home spa business to fend for their needs.

“I really want to help my mom so she can enjoy and relax,” Kristel says.

No wonder Kristel never tires of working, even if her schedule leaves her no time for rest. She also stars on TV5’s Goals and Girls with Empress Schuck and Dino Imperial. She tapes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for I Love Betty La Fea, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for Goals and Girls and performs on A.S.A.P. ‘08 every Sunday. And like her aunt, Kristel has no qualms about wearing two-piece and doing some sexy scenes.

Does she hold a grudge on her dad?

“No, our communication line is open. We send him text messages through the jail guard and sometimes we make a request to talk to him on the phone,” she replies.

Just like a typical teenager, Kristel shrieks with delight when asked about her crush. Topping her list is Sen. Bong Revilla for his chinky eyes. Kristel reveals how she repeatedly watches her collection of the senator’s action movies. Next is Joem Bascon, her co-star on I Love Betty La Fea.

“He is very manly,” she reasons out.

But this doesn’t mean Kristel is ready to fall in love. Her focus is on her work especially now that her career is just starting to bloom.

“Everybody wants to make it big but for me getting my hands full with projects is enough to be thankful for,” Kristel declares.