Bea Alonzo: Forever an angel?

MANILA, Philippines - It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the world around us. — Henri Cartier-Bresson, photographer True strength is gentle. — Louise Nevelson, sculptor

In a recent episode of ASAP XV, before Bea Alonzo makes her entrance as one of the show’s “It Girls,” a mash-up of her glossy magazine covers flashes quickly and continuously onscreen. There’s Bea on Preview, in voluminous red couture, and her hair swept off her face; Bea on Metro, in an oversized necklace with embellished semi-precious stones, and red, red lips. On the day that I wrote this piece, I went to National Book Store and bought the current issue of Rogue, with Bea on the cover as well. My brother had told me over lunch how beautiful she was on the cover, and that he was going to buy it himself. On my way back home, I stopped by the neighborhood grocery to stock up on juice when I saw the February 2010 issue of Metro, again with Bea on the cover. So I decided to get that as well.

A Wholesome Angel On The Pages Of A Magazine

The Metro magazine was a love-themed issue, in time for Valentine’s Day. The cover quote read: “I would love to bring back my hopeless romantic side again.” I found it ever so amusing that a young girl at the ripe young age of 22 would already be jaded about love. Then again, Bea never really played the clueless teenybopper, or the giddy girl next door. In fact, in And I Love You So, last year’s movie with Sam Milby and Derek Ramsey, she took on the role of a young widow. I have a vivid memory of watching her as a 15-year-old playing a 20-year-old lawyer, and hearing my mom say, “Why are they forcing such a young girl to grow up so fast? Parang hinog sa pilit.” (It’s like eating an unripe fruit.) As to the cover story, Bea admits, “I’m more comfortable playing older characters because I learn something from them. I think I’m an old soul, even when it comes to the way I think. I love the old-fashioned way — I grew up with my lola.”

The Rogue magazine was actually a presidential issue, but I’m sure the smart people behind the magazine knew that a beautiful and enigmatic movie star would sell more copies than any old geezer wanting to run the country. The tagline for the cover story read: “The Silver Screen Sweetheart Lets Her Guard Down.” The writer spent a day on the movie set of Miss You Like Crazy, Bea’s reunion movie with her love-teammate John Lloyd Cruz. He takes note of her idiosyncrasies, such as her fear of dogs, and how she begs the gaffer to please carry away a stray dog that has wandered onto the set and how she ignores her beeping phone during their conversation, so as not to lose her train of thought. She tells him, “I wish I could play more challenging roles... yung very complex. Unconventional yung tingin sa mundo, unconventional yung style of thinking and relating to others.”

Pure Like Snowflakes

On the day that I meet Bea, it is the press launch for her commercial for Angel Evaporada. I can’t help but think that she is perfect to be connected with a brand called Angel as, let’s face it, she looks like an angel. Her fairness also calls to mind the pureness of milk. And as she has the reputation of being an actress of quiet depth, it is quite fitting that while milk is a most mundane item, a part of the grocery list that we seldom think about, it is a life-sustaining and soul-satisfying drink.

I made it a point to arrive early, as I realized that it would be my first time ever to meet Bea, so I wanted to have time to go over the press materials, and maybe ask people who have worked with her some questions. I tried to think about the last time I saw her and remembered that it was at the Star Magic Ball late last year. She wore a champagne-colored strapless gown, in a serpentine silhouette, with graceful asymmetric tucking, and a billowing hem detail in pleated chiffon; her hair was in a low chignon, with a side-swept part; her jewelry was pretty but subtle rubies. She won as the Most Elegant of the Night, a most apt award, as elegance implies a certain restraint, an effortless timelessness.

When she swept into the restaurant, the camera crews and interviewers crowd around her. I stand up to take notes, but her voice is barely a whisper so I can’t hear a thing. When I go back to my table, event host and RX 93.1 DJ Gino Quillamor says incredulously, “How can she do that? I would be so frightened of all the lights!” But I look at Bea’s face and see no panic, no fear. Then again, she has been an actress since she was 14 years old, and at 22, she is practically an old pro.

But it turns out that old pros still get nervous. When Gino calls on her to address the crowd, she says that she is proud to be the ambassador for Angel Condensada, but quickly corrects herself to say Evaporada. She also disarms the audience by admitting how nervous she is. She then very graciously thanks the Angel team and the whole Snow Mountain Dairy Corporation (a business unit of the Century Pacific Group of Companies) for being so welcoming. She also mentions the previous Angel endorser, Judy Ann Santos, and her honor at being chosen to succeed her.

When I finally sit down with her, she is still apologetic over her minor faux pas. I reassure her that in such a casual gathering, it really is forgivable. I also suggest that maybe she was remembering that childhood favorite: condensed milk on bread. She smiles widely and says, “Sarap! I remember that, especially how thick the milk was.” When I say how kind she is to mention her predecessor, she laughs and reveals, “Fan talaga ako ni Juday! And I’m really so happy to have a food endorsement, a chance to show my inner cook. In fact, I’ve been wanting to do an endorsement, which reveals that I love to cook.”

She then confesses that her favorite cable show is Top Chef, which she downloads on her computer. Her favorite contestant was Fabio. I asked if she was rooting for Dale, the Filipino contestant. She looks at me tentatively, and then asked me if I liked him. When I confessed that I wanted him to do well, but found him on the grouchy side, she finally admits, “Yes, it’s as if now people might think that we Filipinos are masungit.” She mentions that being a chef could even be her post-showbiz career.

Tisha Borromeo-Catabay, product manager of Angel, admits, “In doing our research, we had read in articles about her (saying) that she did like to cook. And after Judy Ann, who is already known as a kind of expert, we wanted to address the next level, the ones who are just learning or starting to cook. And when we found out that Bea’s second name is Angellie, then we just knew that she was the one.”

Here are excerpts from the interview:

PHILIPPINE STAR: Many of the goodies made with Angel Evaporada are icy treats perfect for summer. Which one is your absolute favorite?

BEA ALONZO: I learned how to make Snow Milk, and I really like how refreshing it is. And how versatile — you can eat it on its own or add toppings. Because that’s really how I am, I like to add things to make it different. For example, I make a kind of tiramisu, my home version but it’s super frozen. At home, they call it Tisay-misu, kasi nga, tisay ako. (Bea’s mother is a Filipina and her father is British. Her given name is Phylbert Angellie Ranollo Fagestrom. Johnny Manahan gave her screen name.) Or, if I make carbonara, instead of just ham, I also add different kinds of mushrooms, so it’s my own version.

So you like sweets, and you have a reputation for sweet roles. What makes life sweet for you?

Doing what you love to do. And doing things for those you love. I grew up with my lola and my mom preparing the food I like, so now I’m the one who cooks for them.

Do you think you’ll ever get away from your “sweet” image?

Well, I would really love to do something out of the box. That would make me so happy. As Direk Lauren (Dyogi) once said, sa first 10 minutes, maybe the audience will see you. But after those 10 minutes, they have to lose themselves in the character.

Would you go as far as doing a contravida role?

If I did that kind of role, I realize my responsibility to the audience, so there would have to be a reason, and resolution para may sense naman yung role.

Many film reviewers and even fellow movie actresses and hosts such as Kris Aquino have made note of your depth when you tackle roles. Where does that depth come from?

Depth? I really don’t know. Baka, ang nakikita nila, is just how much I love what I do, and all the love that I put into it. Maybe they can see that how much I want to transcend myself. You don’t really have to force yourself. Maybe, sa screen lumalabas how much I love to observe people. 

How would you describe your style of acting?

I’m not so aware of it, I’m just doing what I have to do. In fact, it was only after many years that I learned all the technical terms in acting.

I have no style. I’m very complex. I like to try new things. I want to go into that deep, deep hole, that many people don’t want to go to.

There are billions and billions of stories out there that still have to be told.

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As mentioned above, Bea is an “It Girl” on ASAP XV. The problem with being an It Girl is that, in an instant, one could become a Post-It Girl, subject to the vagaries of time and fashion. But there is absolutely no danger of that happening with Bea Alonzo. Though she may have been an actress for nearly a decade and a variety show host for six years, it’s quite clear that the best is yet to come.