Ritz Azul: A glamour girl

MANILA, Philippines - Ritz Azul was almost glossed over by the judges of TV5’s Star Factor. She auditioned wearing pigtails and pretended to be suffering from a headache for her talent. But there was no denying that the lass from Pampanga had a beautiful face. She made the cut on that merit alone.

Through the course of the show, which pitted 17 teen talents against each other, Ritz struggled with weight problems and turned in underwhelming performances until the week leading to the grand finals. She did a monologue about how her father had to cut down a banana tree in their back yard so he could sell the produce and put a down for her tuition. It was poignant and she was radiant. That sterling performance secured Ritz a slot in the finals.

The triumph was temporary, however, as the grand prize went to Eula Caballero while Ritz landed fourth. Flawless then saw the young lady’s potential by choosing her for its special award. She signed up under the network’s talent development department Talent 5 and appeared in PO5, Hey It’s Saberday, Pidol’s Wonderland, Willing Willie, Magic Gimik, Regal Shocker and Star Confessions.

While waiting for her big break Ritz ran for Sanguniang Barangay in her hometown and won. Then an auspicious call from the top brass of TV5 came. Ritz was cast in the soap Nagbabagang Bulaklak  where she played Daisy one of two probinsyana sisters who venture to the big city to become dancers in a huge variety show. It was a role Ritz could easily relate to. She was voted Best Newcomer by Yahoo Awards, won the Outstanding Breakthrough Performance by an Actress at the Golden Screen Awards and nominated as Best New Female Personality at the PMPC Star Awards. Ritz also signed a three-picture contract for Regal Films.

But Ritz’s biggest break was TV5’s Glamorosa opposite Lorna Tolentino and Alice Dixson. The role was of a scarred young lady who is transformed into a beautiful woman through cosmetic surgery. The transformation parallels Ritz’s real-life experience. Now Flawless is poised to launch Ritz as its latest endorser.