Dindi is happily back ‘home’

MANILA, Philippines –  Dindi Gallardo (photo) is “home.”

The beauty queen-turned-actress recently signed with Viva Artists Agency, the talent management arm of Viva where Dindi got her start, to reignite her career after taking a hiatus for 14 years. During that time, she traveled across Europe and then settled in the US where she had a successful professional career that did not rely on her celebrity status.

Dindi burst into the public scene when she won the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe beauty title in 1993. She made her movie debut that same year in the Janno Gibbs comedy Pusoy Dos and followed it up with four movies in 1994 including Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko, starring Andrew E. and fellow Bb. Pilipinas-Universe title-holder Charlene Gonzales.

One of the highlights of her career was co-starring with movie king Fernando Poe Jr. in the original Ang Probinsyano, which has been adapted into a teleserye by ABS-CBN. Among the last movies she made were 1998’s Ang Kriminal ng Barrio Concepcion, the debut of internationally-acclaimed director Lav Diaz, and the Joel Lamangan drama Bayad-Puri in 1999. She decided to take a break after doing Katawan, which she co-starred with Christopher de Leon.

“The majority of projects being offered to me were getting too daring,” Dindi says. “It was a sign for me to take a break. I saw it as an opportunity to travel and explore, to find my sense of self and ignite that creative passion, and to nourish that well of creativity.”

That well of creativity was filled a few years later when Dindi landed a job in Hollywood that brought her back to the world of films, but this time behind the scenes. And then when she had a short vacation in Manila late last year, she felt it was time to go back in front of the camera.

“I had an epiphany and just out of nowhere came the answer,” she recalls about the moment that came during a visit to the set of a movie that was being shot last October. “I immediately knew I was ‘home’ — that I should get back into acting again. It was a special moment.”

One year later, she’s not only back in local showbiz. She’s back home in Viva where it all started more than 20 years ago. “It’s an exciting time and I look forward to contributing via my talent. My priority now is to challenge myself with new roles at a new stage and age in my life. I want to hone my craft and be a better actor than I ever was.  I want to be noticed this time for my talent.”