Marian in very good company

MANILA, Philippines - Hers is a face that’s angelic and yet may turn she-devilish when piqued. Her body needs no add-ons. In fact, her natural curves helped land her on the cover of countless publications, including the latest Yes! magazine’s special on the 100 most beautiful stars. She also graced the cover of Preview magazine for being one of its 100 most beautiful Pinays of 2009. She was FHM Philippines’ top sexiest Filipina of 2008.

Marian Rivera qualifies, indeed, as the perfect fantasy of the Filipino male, because she blends well the look of innocence and sensuality.

She was born Marian Gracia Rivera on Aug. 12, 1984 in Madrid, Spain. Named after her grandfather Mariano, Marian is the only child of Amalia Mallari Rivera and Francisco Javier Alonzo Gracia. (Note that the mother’s surname Rivera comes after the father’s name Gracia, a practice followed in Hispanic countries.)

Amalia used to work as an overseas Filipino worker in Spain, where she met and married the Spaniard Francisco. When Francisco couldn’t keep himself from being unfaithful, Amalia left him after two years, and brought her child Marian home to Bayanan, Bacoor, Cavite. Grandma Francisca took care of Marian while Amalia took off again until she got a job as airport attendant in London, and found another man.

Both father and mother would send Marian financial support for her education and daily needs. Grandma Francisca naturally spoiled Marian, but at the same time taught her to do housework, and raised her with a strict, conservative, middle-class upbringing.

Up until high school, Marian would visit her father in Spain. A restaurant proprietor, dad Francisco would pay for her two-way air fare. Marian stopped her yearly visits when she reached college because she wanted to focus on her studies. Since Marian’s favorite subjects were logic and psychology, she obtained her AB in Psychology at the De La Salle University-Dasmariñas.

Marian, being an observant girl, wanted to understand human behavior and relationships. Even as a student, the pretty mestiza was receiving movie offers, which she declined. Every now and then, she would do ramp modeling, and endorse commercial products for print and television such as Skyflakes crackers and Skin White Lotion.

She did a three-month practicum at the National Hospital for Mental Health. After college, she conducted special education for disabled youngsters or children with special health conditions, behavioral disorders or learning disabilities.

Working as a SPED instructor turned out to be quite difficult for Marian. She found it physically and mentally taxing, spending long travel hours, preparing lesson plans, and evaluating students’ progress.

Through the advertising production company Tape, Inc., Marian appeared on GMA 7 afternoon telenovelas Kung Mamahalin Mo lang Ako, Agawin Mo Man Ang Lahat, and Pinakamamahal, all opposite Oyo Sotto, who, incidentally nicknamed her Yan-Yan. It was Tina Delposo, assistant to talent manager Popoy “Momsy” Caritativo, now Marian’s manager, who said that Tony Tuviera of GMA wanted Marian to team up with Oyo. 

Not one to act like a primadonna, Marian wasn’t picky about her roles. At such a young age, she even acted as mother in the Philippine-Malaysian drama series, Muli, for GMA 7 as well as in the TV fantasy Super Twins.

Then came the search for the title role in MariMar, the Mexican telenovela, starring Thalia, which became a phenomenon in local television in 1996. Marian auditioned and got the coveted role, and struck up a highly bankable team-up with Dingdong Dantes. The No. 1 soap opera was followed by top hits Dyesebel and Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang.

In 2006, Regal signed up Marian for eight pictures, including romantic comedies Desperadas, True Love, and My Best Friend’s Girlfriend.

Today, Marian is the 10th star to revive the top-rated adaptation of Mars Ravelo’s komiks novel, Darna. Marian seriously worked out for the role, and took lessons in wushu for her action scenes.

She enjoys not only acting on TV and in the movies but also having music and dance albums to her name. Under Universal Records are Marian Rivera Dance Hits, Retro Crazy, and her single Sabay-sabay Tayo. Today, she has more than two dozens commercial endorsements.

Marian claims she does not have hereditary acting talent and has not joined any acting workshop. She watches a lot of foreign movies, but has no favorite movie, actor or director. She says she’s very open to advice from her directors and from her co-stars like Maricel Soriano in the movie Bahay Kubo.

Marian signed TV and movie contracts against Lola’s and Ma’s consent. Later, unable to dissuade her, they grudgingly permitted her to enter showbiz. “Gusto ko namang makaranas ng hirap,” explains Marian, “iyong ma-enjoy ko ang pinagpaguran ko.” She refused to receive allowances from home. She rented a small condominium unit, hardly owned appliances, washed the dishes and her clothes, rode a taxi. Now, she owns two cars and buys anything she wants.

Hard work also earned her honors such as Best New Female TV Personality at the 2006 20th Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards for Television; Favorite Television Actress at the First Annual Fil-Am Visionary Awards; FAMAS German Moreno Young Achievement Award; and Actress of the Year at the PEP Forum Awards.

She has brought her mother to the set of Darna in Bulacan so that her mom can see for herself that her work is not a bed of roses. Her mother has seen how acting entails practice and concentration, memorizing lines, quick costume changes, etc. “Ang hirap palang maging artista,” her mother commented.

The downside of showbiz, furthermore, is eternal intrigues. Marian has been rumored to have had issues with Angel Locsin, Kristine Hermosa, and Katrina Halili, all of which, of course she denied. Marian haters have accused her of grabbing juicy roles from others, of stealing rumored boyfriend Dingdong from Karylle, of appearing in sex-scandal videos on YouTube, of possessing no acting or dancing talent, of being a taray queen.

And what do her Darna co-workers have to say about Marian Rivera?

Celia Rodriguez: “Mabuting bata, mahal ko ’yan.”

Caridad Sanchez: “I can see she has improved a lot. She has a lot of potential. If she’s serious with her craft, she can really be considered an actor. Her time will come.”

Ricky Davao: “Masaya siyang kasama. May natural talent. Magaling sa comedy, sa timing. Masipag. Malaki ang potential.”

Malou Ochoa Fagar: “As a person, Marian has always acknowledged Mr. Tony Tuviera as the person who gave her a break. Tumatanaw siya ng utang na loob. She’s also malambing. As an actor, she tries to improve her craft. She’s able to accept comments/criticisms. She uses them to her advantage.”

During a taping of Darna, Marian does pay attention to the director, is not conscious of the camera, knows timing, is good with reaction shots which have no hint of acting. Proof of her being a hard worker is she was taping while running a high fever due to countless sleepless nights under the spotlight — without complaining.

Marian considers her movie roles as unexpected offers, which she accepts as “a challenge, a blessing from God.” She says she’s able to work with anyone, so long as they don’t treat her with disrespect, a pet peeve of hers. Intrigues, she smiles, are “parte ng buhay,” which enables her to apply what she learned in Psychology.

Marian, the Leo-born, avers: “Ako, mataray? Hindi ako hypocrite. Mahirap palampasin ang mali o hayaang apak-apakan ako o ang ibang tao. Kapag may nakita kang mali o injustice, alangan namang tumahimik ka lang.”

In spite of intrigues, though, Marian is “makulit, jologs, kalog, totoo, mataray pag nasa lugar,” and has a sunny disposition. In fact, she looks like a doll without angst, without any real tragedy in life, without a ruffled spirit. She accepted early on the separation of her parents, thanks to the explanation of her mom and grandma. She keeps fit by eating health food and by dancing her favorite hip-hop and Latin dances. She is like her favorite Spain, passionate and colorful, and her favorite flower sampaguita, which she describes as “maliit, mabango, maputi, kahit malayo, kitang-kita.”

Despite Marian’s busy schedule, she finds time for charity work and fund-raising activities. She is forever grateful to her fans for their love. She recently came back from a concert in Singapore with Darna co-star Mark Anthony Fernandez. She also went to Japan to promote the video of Dyesebel with Dingdong.

She hopes to marry “at 30 or earlier” to her ideal man who’s “responsible, sincere, and understanding.” Being an only child without half-sisters or half-brothers, she hopes to have many children, say, three or four.

Marian enjoys spending her free time with her family in Cavite. And for her, hapiness means “being in communication with God, and having a happy and peaceful family.”