Happy ending for Julia

MANILA, Philippines - MiraBella will soon see its “beautiful ending” as put by the show’s teaser. Julia Barretto, its lead star, can’t help but feel grateful at how her first Kapamilya teleserye has fared in the past five months.

“First of all, the show will end soon,” Julia explained her being emotional in the video interview shown before the actual presscon recently. “And it’s sad. When I’m telling my story, my journey, I get emotional — like what I’ve been through in (my showbiz) journey.”

“I’m very happy and very satisfied,” added Julia. “I’m happy because the story itself is beautiful. Being able to play two roles in my launching soap is a big thing. It’s very challenging since this is my first soap. It’s satisfying because natapos din naman ng maayos and the ratings have improved. Towards the end, the people got hooked on the story and followed it. I’ve learned a lot from the show.” The Star Magic talent agreed that another way to learn the acting ropes is “through experience.”

Aside from the MiraBella crew, Julia will also miss the cast the most, especially her leading men Enrique Gil and Sam Concepcion.

“We’re really good friends — we’re close friends,” she said of King of the Gil. “I think our personalities are very much alike. Our personalities just click or just jibe.”

As for Sam, Julia related that she first worked with him when she was nine. “Before the show began, we were already good friends. (On the set,) he is very helpful. I remember a big scene — where Mira was antagonized (inapi) in a freak show. I remember I was having a hard time doing the scene. Sam was tapping my back to (make me) feel the scene until I was able to cry. He just waited. Sam shows support and patience and the (encouraging) ways I don’t know how he does it. He has been very nice and we’ve been good friends since before.”

Although written in the fantasy-drama genre and somehow premised in the beauty-and-the-beast/the ugly-the beautiful storyline, MiraBella has won many hearts because the audience knows where the story is heading to, hinted the show’s production manager Ethel Espiritu. The fate of the characters has been established from the beginning. Mira’s journey of acceptance and search for her father’s identity touch on relevant issues such as bullying and discrimination. All this emanates from her physical flaws. That’s why when the opportunity to be beautiful and to live a normal life came, Mira took it and was changed into the person of Bella.

According to Espiritu, Filipinos love underdogs, particularly those who never wallow in their poor plight and challenge themselves to emerge victorious. Such act is definitely positive and empowering. Mira has faced negativity and turned it into something positive, she added. This change in the character’s persona has translated into good feedback via social media, specifically Twitter. Followers are behind Mira, disguising as Bella, to fight her enemies and to take revenge.

Off-cam, Julia will not take Bella’s stance in dealing with parent-child issues. “I’m not the type of person na maghihiganti in a bad way like how (my character) is doing it,” she said. “Maintindihin kasi ako. Maintindihan ko yung sitwasyon kung saan nanggagaling. I will try to understand why my parents are like that towards me. Ganun akong tao. I will see the reason behind their action.” And the idea of hurting others as consequence of revenge is unacceptable to Julia.

From there, one can make a guess on how the tale of Mira and Bella will end.

(MiraBella will air its finale on July 4.)