Erich, Agot & Janice share ways to feel beautiful inside and out

The ladies of the Kapamilya drama revenge series La Vida Lena shared their secrets to staying beautiful inside and out, and dealing with physical insecurities in a world obsessed with looks. The series dealt with themes about beauty, love, family and forgiveness.

The three main female characters Erich Gonzales (as Lena), Janice de Belen (as Ramona) and Agot Isidro (as Vanessa) stressed in a virtual call the importance of “protecting your own space and peace” as well as having a good disposition in life.

“Wala naman sigurong sikreto diyan basta mapayapa lang pamumuhay mo,” Erich told The STAR. “For me, just protect your space, your energy and your peace.”

When it comes to physical insecurities, Erich acknowledged that “nobody is perfect in this world and that is what makes us human.” It’s all about “self-acceptance, embracing your flaws and imperfections,” she said.

“Like in La Vida Lena, dapat ang totoong kagandahan ay nakikita sa puso. Sa akin, (it’s) really inside, lahat ng pinapasok mo sa loob, lumalabas sa anyo mo. So ako, I eat a plant-based diet and I exercise. Good vibes, good thoughts (also) parang si Erich,” commented Agot.

She also echoed Erich about “protecting your space,” and furthered, “find your people, dapat walk away ka na ‘pag medyo nasasaktan ka na.”

“I’ve always believed that a woman’s best-kept beauty secret is her disposition,” began Janice. “Because your attitude, the way you look at life, the way you look at things, tama yung it’s from within eh. So, it makes you beautiful the way you look at things and the way you see life. Yun dapat ang nakikita ng mga tao.”

Janice admitted she had “a lot of insecurities about my body.” “Hindi naman ako kasing-sexy ni Erich, ni Agot. I’m not even tall. Para sa akin, so what? You have to be yourself. At some point in your life, you’ve got to accept that this is me. Ayaw niyo, di ‘wag niyo.”

She continued, “I do my job, this is who I am. I’m true to myself. At yun ang pinapakita ko sa inyo. Yun yung pinakaimportante. It’s not always about your body shape or height or whatever or how much makeup you have on or how tulis your nose is. It’s not about that, it’s about who you are and you should be proud of that.”

On the other hand, the actors playing the men in Lena’s life — JC de Vera (as Adrian) and Kit Thompson (as Miguel) — related how their real-life personas resembled their characters, when it came to love and relationships.

For JC, it’s being faithful and loyal. “Ang pagkaka-pareho ko lang kay Adrian is yung faith and loyalty ko sa mga taong mahal ko. 100 percent yan. I’ll be very loyal and faithful talaga sa mga taong talagang pagbibigyan ko ng pagmamahal,” he told The STAR.

“Pero the rest, hindi ko gusto si Adrian. Hindi ko talaga siya gusto kaya ko siguro na enjoy ko i-portray yung character ni Adrian it’s because hindi ko siya gusto. I’m not comfortable portraying his character but I enjoyed it (nonetheless), kaya maganda kinalabasan,” he said.

This is also the first time that JC tried an off-beat role and he took it as a challenge. “In a way magandang experience ‘to para sa akin kaya kesa sa kabahan ako sa bawat experience ko sa show na yun, in-enjoy ko na lang,” he said.

As for Kit, “I guess, similarity namin ni Miguel is he would do anything in his way to get what he wants. Para siyang, ‘pag may gusto siya, parating may paraan, parati niya makukuha or gusto niya makuha. (We are) same in a way but not to that extent (Miguel’s hostile actions).”

However, the question remains about the series: How will Lena take down Miguel, Adrian and Lukas (played by Raymond Bagatsing)? Will Lena finally get the justice she deserves?

As the show is down to its final episode tonight (Feb. 4), the full season of La Vida Lena started airing in Myanmar via Fortune TV last Jan. 31.

Meanwhile, Agot was asked how important it is for celebrities like herself to be vocal on social issues.

She responded, “It is important for everyone, not just for celebrities to voice out their opinions on certain social issues. Siguro naha-highlight lang kasi nga we have a certain influence over viewers and people that know us.”

“Importante siya dahil kailangan siguro for equality. Siguro kailangan pinupuna yung mga injustices and mga social issues na mga taliwas sa dapat mangyari. I-tama lang natin by voicing out our opinions or puna. Hindi siya nega, no, we just want to make it right. There is such a thing as freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” asserted Agot.

(Watch the finale episode of La Vida Lena tonight at 10, on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5 and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.)