MANILA, Philippines (As released) — Whether it’s her exceptional talents, good looks and grit, theater actress Sheena Bentoy is the new face to watch out for.
Freshly known for her performance as the young Nala in the stage adaptation of the Disney classic "The Lion King," Sheena’s undeniable gifts in singing, acting, and dancing paved her way to be part of the international tour as her theatre debut. Recently, she has also been chosen as the new face of Promil Four. Past child endorsers of the brand included artist CJ de Silva and top photographer Shaira Luna.
What Sheena has achieved at such a young age is likewise attributed to how her mom, Irish Bentoy, has given her unwavering support, love, and continuous nurturing of her gift.
Iriish shared how she started noticing Sheena’s fondness for performing and how glad she was to be able to support her.
“The moment I saw Sheena singing with her toy microphone at three years old, I knew her musical gift is really something I have to nurture because of how much she enjoys it. I was really able to spot her gift when I brought her to a music studio for a workshop. There, I discovered that she could really hit the right notes!”
Apart from singing, Irish would also let Sheena participate in different activities such as ballet, music and modeling. They also do a lot of bonding activities together as a family where they create art and sing together. There are also times that she really just enjoys listening to Sheena’s singing.
Sheena’s dad, on the other hand, is very supportive of her academics and always gives her valuable pieces of advice – wisdom that she can bring along as she grows up.
The amount of support that Sheena receives from her parents definitely plays a huge role in building the personality and confidence that she is able to bring out on stage.
Irish also admitted that their journey, just like most success stories, was not achieved overnight.
“We encountered challenges and rejection throughout this journey, especially when we would take Sheena to auditions before. We would stand in long queues for hours and then find out that Sheena didn’t pass her audition.”
“There were also times when Sheena would feel defeated and disheartened, but I would always encourage her to embrace and love the experience because it’s God’s gift to her. Failures do not mean the end of her journey but rather, a step towards success and learning. I always tell her to learn from it and be strong,” she advised.
She said they would always remind Sheena of these things because they know that it’s their daughter’s gift. As long as Sheena continues doing what she loves, Irish believes God will give opportunities to her when the time is right.
Undeniably grateful and proud of her daughter who remains humble despite the achievements, Irish also shared how other moms can similarly raise their kids to be the best they can be.
“First is to build a good and harmonious relationship with their kids. Second, is to join them in their activities. From there, moms will be able to discover which areas their kids are gifted in, and witness how happy they are when they’re doing those things! Lastly, as their kids work hard to achieve their dreams, parents must support them all the way. Just enjoy the journey of nurturing the gift.”
Because of Irish’s loving support, Sheena is able to shine her brightest.