The role not the billing

MANILA, Philippines - It‘s not the role that counts but what one learns from the role. That‘s Erich Gonzales‘ answer to people who raise their eyebrows when they learn that she‘s playing a support role on ABS-CBN‘s new series, Magkaribal.

These doubting Thomases are itching to find out why the Star Magic talent agreed to play Chloe, a fashion designer wannabe with unresolved personal issues in Magkaribal when last year‘s Katorse cast her in the lead role?

“That‘s no big deal,” replies Erich. “I‘m sure I‘ll learn a lot from my co-stars, Gretchen Barretto and Bea Alonzo (who share the title role). Besides, it‘s about time Enchong (Dee, her perennial screen partner) and I work with veteran actors.“

Erich, as the daughter of a top designer (Angel Aquino), doesn‘t play the main character. But she likes the challenge the role gives her.

“It‘s the first time a project on the fashion industry as ambitious as this has come up,” she reasons out. “So I said yes at once when they offered me the role.”

Her character has a surprise twist.

“At first, Enchong doesn‘t like me and prefers Bea because he thinks rich people like me are hard to deal with,” she relates. “But he changes his mind when he discovers the real Chloe.”

Erich herself has changed. She‘s s no longer the hesitant 14-year-old girl who played a teenage mother in Katorse. At 19 going on 20, Erich speaks with more confidence, and wears clothes that reveal her ample cleavage with ease. She didn‘t balk when she learned she had kissing scenes with Coco Martin, who plays her husband in the docu-film Noy.

“I already knew I will have bed scenes with Coco before I accepted the assignment in Noy,” relates Erich. “But the project is timely and it reflects today‘s times. It was shown right after the (national) elections when people are looking for change. It proves that we should not look for change but let the change start from us.”

Besides, Erich adds, the delicate scenes were not vulgar and she was happy at how it came out on screen.

You can tell everything’s okay in her world by the way her eyes sparkle and her skin glows.

“I get a lot of help from Silka,” Erich explains. “As an actress, I need a beauty soap that constantly works for me and Silka papaya soap is just what I need. It protects me from the scorching heat of the sun.”

She recalls shooting a scene in Divisoria which required her to stay in front of the klieg lights for weeks. Afraid that prolonged exposure to the camera would damage her skin, Erich washed her face with Silka Papaya soap. The dark spots she feared would mar her face, never surfaced.

Silka executive Mags Melendrez explains why the company tapped Erich as endorser when it already has Iya Villania as its “ambassadress of beauty.”

“Erich has a good image. Like our company Cosmetique Asia, Erich started with humble beginnings and is now a success. Our share in the beauty business market has grown,” Melendrez states.

Erich‘s wide smile says she‘s willing to grow as well, not only as endorser, but as a serious actress as well.