Body Talk with Rhian Ramos

One of the prettiest faces — and among the few truly talented young actresses — in local movies today, Rhian Ramos had a painful initiation into showbiz. But she beautifully survived an Internet smear campaign against her, though not without tears.

“It was too much na because my detractors were dragging my family into the mess,” said Rhian, 18. “They can hit me for all I care but the moment they hit my family, a, sobra na ‘yan, foul na ‘yan. That’s why I cried.”

Wiping her tears, Rhian went on to prove that she’s more than just a pretty face; she’s got talent and, yes, guts. It was the best revenge: Put your best foot forward.

In her three years in the business and into her second contract with GMA, Rhian has accomplished much more than her colleagues have in so short a time.

“Ang bilis daw ng progress ko. I was lucky to be a leading lady in my first TV project, Captain Barbell, with Richard Gutierrez pa as my leading man,” she gushed. “I was to do three more TV series with Richard after that, Lupin, Code Name: Asero and now, Zorro. How lucky can one get!” She was also in My Only Love (for the GMA Dramarama) and La Lola, and has several endorsements (Head & Shoulders, Clear, Skechers, Bobson and Soda, among them).

Before showbiz, Rhian was in high school at La Salle Zobel. She has pout school on-hold when she got busy with showbiz.

Her role models include Eula Valdes who played her mother in La Lola.

“I saw her at work. Sobrang galing sa acting. One of my favorite people to work with and to watch. When you are in a scene with her, she helps you along and makes you feel na ang dali-dali umarte. She throws at you such strong emotions that it feels natural for you to react. That’s how powerful her acting is.”

A Libran (Oct. 3, 1990), Rhian stands 5’6” (“I hope to grow taller”), measures 32-26-35.5, and wears small-sized shirt and size-8 shoes.

With your hectic schedule, are you able to get enough sleep?

“I’ve been sleeping more than I ever had. With Zorro, whose set requires a longer time to fix, I can catch up on sleep. When I’m not needed on the set, I take power naps.”

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“Brush my teeth.”

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“Eat kaagad.”

How many pillows do you sleep with?

“Three. One for my head and the two on my sides. They make me feel safe and secure.”

Do you snore?

“Yeah, sometimes. I’m also known to sleepwalk and to talk in my sleep.”

Favorite sleep wear?

“A huge, loose T-shirt.”

What about your diet? What kind of food do you avoid?

“I used to be not so strict with the food I ate. But these days, I’m more into fish and vegetables. For two weeks now, I haven’t been eating rice and meat.”

Any food that your crave for all the time?

“My comfort food is avocado shake mixed with chocolate syrup. If I have a bad day, it makes me feel better.”

Do you take three square meals a day?

“Actually, I eat six small meals a day. For breakfast, a glass of soya milk with an apple or a piece of banana. For lunch, whatever is served on the set. For dinner, same. For snacks, an apple. My metabolism is fast; I burn food fast.”

How much water do you take per day?

“I should be taking more but I drink only three glasses every day. The rest, Milo.”

Vitamins?

“Multi-vitamins. I buy lots of vitamins, only for me to forget to take them.”

How do you cope with stress?

“I talk to a friend. Or eat through it. Ako kasi, either I like the food or I don’t. Or I listen to music...hip-hop or alternative rock. Songs by Coldplay and Incubus.”

Do you work out?

“Yeah. Every so often, I go swimming with my mom and my sister.”

What part of your body do you think needs improvement?

“My abs. I want to have some muscle around my tummy.”

What part is most vulnerable?

“My legs...maybe because they are exposed all the time.”

And what part is your favorite?

“Also my legs...because they are the part for which I get compliments. So I go, ‘Thank you, legs. You make me feel good!’”

What part of a guy’s body do you notice first?

“The nose. It’s the part that’s right in front of him. Sa body, the back.”

And what’s it in a guy that turns you off?

“‘Yung may isang kuko na mahaba.”

How’s your love life?

“I have a steady love life.”

Do you have a boyfriend?

“No steady. Pa-date-date lang.”

What’s your outlook in life?

“I try to be an optimist. Most of the time, I’m a realist.”

Name three guys you think have nice bodies.

“JC de Vera. Richard Gutierrez. Will Devaughn.”

And three girls...

“Alessandra de Rossi. Kelly Misa (a model). Isabel Daza.”

Using only body language, how would you make a guy know that you like him?

“I give him a long, lingering look. ‘Yun lang ‘yon! Very obvious na, di ba?”

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