MANILA, Philippines - Do you know you have magic?†My gaze was fixed firmly on Julia Barretto, curious whether she knew about what she has. She shrugs her shoulders and gives me an uncertain yet still quite adorable “I don’t know.†And then she smiles.
The first time I saw Julia Barretto was when I interviewed Rob Kardashian and Kylie Jenner for their Human endorsement. This girl walked past me and there was some light shining upon her. It wasn’t my imagination. I had to stop her and I asked who she was. “I’m Julia!†She turned to me, and all of a sudden there was this slow-motion-sunshine-spotlight-on-her-face-with-a-choir-of-angels-singing-in-the-background moment. And then she smiled.
Julia had her first billboard at age seven. At nine, her first endorsement shot abroad, at 11 years another shampoo commercial shot abroad, simultaneously doing child roles for a couple of TV series. Julia stopped doing all those to concentrate on her studies. Now at 15 going on 16 this March and a sophomore in high school at Miriam College, she is ready for all the action. “I really want to do it all — modeling, acting, dancing, all of it!†And then I smiled.
“I told my mom that this is what I want to do. I don’t know why, but there is a voice inside me that tells me I really really want it.†Still very poised in a white dress and perfect hair, I can feel her quiet drive — there is this sense of calm that comes from being secure and happy inside — which is where I think her glow is coming from. “My mom taught us well, she listens to anything and everything we tell her. My dad always makes us laugh, so we are always happy.â€
Julia’s mom is, of course, Marjorie Barretto of the Barretto clan of beauties and father is funny man Dennis Padilla. “My mom is my best friend. I go to her all the time. I tell her all my problems and she gives the best advice.†Julia is closest to sisters Dani, 19 (a top fashion blogger) and Claudia, 13, because they all share a room together. They have a younger brother Leon, who is nine years old. “We do everything together!â€
Even social media likes Julia Barretto. She seldom posts photos of herself ( #selfie ) on Instagram but when she does, it almost always lands on the popular page. Instantly. Methinks this girl will launch a thousand products. Shampoo, soap, cosmetics, feminine hygiene, health and beauty services, telcos, all of you — line up!
“She’s not yet even visible on TV and as early as now, endorsements are already lined up,†says top agent Pia Campos of W Talent Management, who is the one responsible for negotiating her contracts with the top brands of the land.
“Even when she was nine years old and I had to accompany her to Bangkok to shoot for a shampoo ad, she was so well behaved. People in the mall would flock to her, and touch her hair!†said Pia, proud like a second parent to Julia, who grew up sitting with adults (namely her mom Marjorie, Tita Gretchen, Tita Lucy, just to name a few) in the “adult table.†I guess that’s where she gets her very mature for her age outlook. Again, I must repeat, she is 15 going on 16. This summer break, she is setting her sights on making the most out of it.
Julia and I spent most of Saturday lunch talking about life, career path, directions and outlooks. The inner Dumbledore in me had found a new Harry Potter. I was on guru mode and I could see the fire in her, the willingness to learn and the eagerness to prove herself and succeed.
“You’ll get there. Whatever you wish for, I know it will all come true,†I told her. She looked at me, paused to think about all the things I told her, and then she smiled.
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Photos by BJ PASCUAL, Produced by DAVID MILAN, Makeup by GEX GARCIA of L'Oreal Paris, Hair by EDDIE MAR CABILTES of L'Oreal Professionnel Special thanks to PIA CAMPOS and W Talent Management