Ryza Cenon bounces back

CEBU, Philippines - There was a tropical storm that day, but Ryza Cenon’s captivating smile lighted up the function room of Golden Cowrie Restaurant in Lahug, Cebu City.

Not a single trace of melancholy could be found on her face. Instead, an aura of a happy and inspired young lady greeted us.

Just last year, the “StarStruck 2” female winner had admitted in interviews that she went through a state of depression.

“Hindi lang naman sa absence of projects. Sa personal life ko may mga problema din. Nagkasunod-sunod. Nandoon na ako sa point na nakakulong sa kwarto, hindi naliligo, hindi na kumakain,” Ryza recalls.

“Nag-iisa lang kasi ako sa bahay. Hindi din alam ng pamilya ko yung pinagdadaanan ko. Nasa Gapan, Nueva Ecija sila, so hindi nila alam. Hindi ko na rin sinabi dahil ayoko rin maging pabigat. Umabot na sa point na lagi na lang akong puyat, laging namamaga ang mata, kasi iyak nang iyak. And then nandun na sa point na pumapasok na sa utak ko na gusto ko nang mawala.”

Good thing Ryza woke up from her stupor. One day, she just decided to roll out of bed, get out of her room and seek help.

“May isang fan ako na nag-encourage sa akin mag-painting. So pinapunta ko siya sa bahay para turuan ako mag-drawing. After that, lumabas na ako, bumibili ako ng mga gamit. Hanggang sa nag-paint ako, sunod-sunod yun every day. Sa isang araw, mga tatlo o apat na paintings ang natatapos ko. Ganun kabilis kasi punung-puno ako ng emosyon.”

But that was 2016. This year seems to be a good one for Ryza, and she only hopes this will continue.

To those who might be going through the same thing she did last year, they might do well to heed some of Ryza’s wisdom: “Number one, kausapin nila si God. Iyon yung ginawa ko. As in every day lagi ko Siyang kinakausap. Two, hanap rin sila ng mga kaibigan na nandiyan lagi for them kahit to listen lang sa lahat ng mga problema nila, para may paglabasan lang. Three, maghanap din ng iba pang outlet na pwedeng paglabasan,” she said.

Now that she was able to bounce back from that cloudy chapter, Ryza has promised to work even harder and use every opportunity to better herself.

Reluctant auditionee

“Ika-6 Na Utos,” the on-going GMA-7 afternoon drama that Ryza stars in, has placed her on the limelight once more. But it turns out she was actually reluctant to play the role of a mistress who takes extreme delight in destroying a family – her role kidnaps and tries to kill the wife, for one! – just to steal the married man she fancies.

“Ayaw ko sanang pumunta sa audition, kasi ayaw ko siyang gawin. Kasi alam ko mahirap siyang gawin. Hindi ko ini-expect na ako ang makukuha,” she shares.

“Masyado siyang malalim for me. Masyado siyang critical na istorya at alam ko na masyadong mataas ang expectations ng mga tao. Lalo na kasama ko dito sina Gabby Concepcion and Sunshine Dizon. Parang nakaka-pressure masyado,” she adds.

So far though, Ryza must be doing something right, for not a few viewers already abhor her character to the bone, as seen by their social media posts. Thankfully, not to the extent that they’d want to toss acid on her face, though!

“Actually matatalino na mga viewers ngayon. Hindi na katulad before na sobrang apektado sila sa awayan at nasasaktan sa nangyayari. Kapag nasa ibang lugar ako, ang sabi lang nila sa akin, ‘Ma’am Georgia, nanonood kami, pwede pa-picture,’ ganun. May isang beses lang na may inang nagsabi, ‘Ayaw ka daw picture-an ng anak ko, kasi bad ka’ (laughs). Ganun lang,” she continued.

A pacifier by nature, Ryza says she herself can’t believe how cruel her character Georgia can be.

“Kasi sobrang bad niya. Lalo na yung kakaibiganin mo pa yung asawa, tapos yun pala she’s just scheming para lang makapag-spy ka kung anong gagawin nila, kung anong plano nila, tapos susundan mo. Nagiging stubborn na siya. Bad talaga siya,” says Ryza.

  “Being Georgia is hard. Sobrang hirap niya. Ang layo niya sa personality ko. The way siya magsalita, lahat. As in iniiwan ko yung sarili ko para magampanan ko siya.” (FREEMAN)