The treasures of Solenn Heussaff

Solenn Heussaff is a showbiz newbie based on the short span of time she’s been in the entertainment industry. But based on her accomplishments, she can be considered a veteran. It’s only been three years since Solenn entered showbiz, but she’s already an award-winning actress (2011 PMPC Star Awards for Movies Best New Actress and 2012 Ya- hoo! OMG! Awards Best Female New- comer), a recording artist (her debut album Fire was released in 2011) and an in-demand product endorser. Solenn

is also sixth in FHM Philippines’ Sexiest Woman of the World ranking this year. And the Filipino-French Kapuso star

wants to do more and spice things up. Impressive, considering she never wanted to be an actress in the first place.

“I want to have a super bonggang independent film na ipapalabas sa Cannes Film Festival,” she said. Solenn is refer- ring to the one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals in the world held in France every year. “I’d love that. I’m half-French and Cannes is in France and I’d love to represent the Philippines in France.”

Haters and naysayers may scoff at her ambition, but Solenn — who is part of the upcoming GMA primetime show Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas — knows how much hard work this dream entails. The 27-year-old is aware her Filipino needs improvement, for instance. But her handicap makes her all the more pumped up to work harder. “In the future, gusto ko na you can give me a teleserye main role and I’ll be able to do it without panicking with the lines,” Solenn said.

Most treasured person

Solenn got her confidence and devil-may-care attitude from her parents — Cynthia and Louis Paul, her most treasured people. “They’re always there for me. They don’t judge me. They give good criti- cism, constructive criticism, so I’m always thankful for them,” she said of her parents.

Family is so important for Solenn that she makes sure to keep constant commu- nication with her parents despite her busy schedule. “Ganun ako talaga. When I studied in Paris, every day for three years, morning and night, tumatawag ako sa kanila,” she said.

Most treasured thing

The Kapuso star also makes sure to use her favorite paint brush, her most treasured thing. An avid fan of the arts (her favorite artist is the French post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin), Solenn used to paint every day. But since her schedule doesn’t per- mit it, she does it once a month.

“If I’m a bit stressed and I want to relax and have my alone time, I paint all day. Kahit nine hours, 10 hours, I’d paint — I’d forget to drink, I’d forget to go to the toilet,” she said.

Solenn has had her favorite paint brush for the past 15 years, so she can’t remember how she got it or who gave it to her. But painting and her paint brush take her away from the hustle and bustle of show business.

“When you’re in showbiz, maram- ing totoong tao but it can be a very fake environment. Painting brings me back down,” she said.

Most treasured place

One other thing that brings her back down is a trip to Argentina, her most treasured travel destination.

Argentina is the home country of her boyfriend, businessman Nico Bolzico. “I go there every December. And in one vacation, you can do so much. Parang lahat andun.” Her current favorites in the country include Patagonia, renowned for the Perto Moreno Glacier, and the city of Mendoza, fa- mous for its wine and outdoor activities.

Most treasured advice

There hasn’t been a lot of tragedies and difficulties in Solenn’s life (and she prays it remains that way). But in case anything dire happens, Solenn will follow the advice given to her by her father.

“It’s the motto of the family. ‘If I fall, I will rise again.’ So whatever happens, no matter how bad it is, you’ll always be able to stand up on your two feet,” she said.

Most treasured moment

Solenn counts Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Show- down as her most treasured moment. The whole ex- perience, she said, was life-changing. “People won’t understand until they join it themselves. Everything is real. And even though you know if there’s a problem they’ll fly you back to Manila, when you’re there it’s like Lord of the Flies.”

One specific moment during the show stood out for Solenn: When her younger brother, Erwan, visited her three weeks into the compe- tition. “Nung dumating siya sa island, I’ve only been there for 20 days. So for him, wala lang yun because he was living his life. But for me, it was like I haven’t seen him in years. I super cried. It never happened again.”

Most treasured show

But it is GMA News TV’s lifestyle program Fashbook that Solenn considers as her most treasured show on GMA. The show allows her to do the things she loves — namely, fashion and make-up.

“When I entered showbiz, I didn’t use any of that. So when I was given Fashbook, I was able to use what I learned and teach other people,” she said. “It’s my niche. It’s everything I know well, it’s everything I studied.”

As for the acting projects she’s done, Solenn counts her role in the Peque Gallaga movie Seduction (wherein she played third wheel alongside Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati) as her most memo- rable. “It’s the first movie where I cried!” she said. “It was very challenging. I really felt the character and I like that I was medyo psycho.”

A new challenge

What would viewers treasure in Solenn’s new show, Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas? For one, the show marks her reunion with frequent co-star Lovi Poe. They worked together in the movies My Valentine Girls and Temptation Island, and they both starred in the soap opera Legacy.

She’s also excited to work with Cesar Mon- tano (“I’ve known him forever because he’s a friend of my dad. I saw him as the great actor”). The show also marks Laurice Guillen’s first soap opera directorial job.

“I’m happy to be able to feed off great actors and artists,” Solenn said.

So far, showbiz has been a “rollercoaster of arts and craft” for Solenn. And she intends to learn more from the industry that has given her so much in the short time she’s been here.

When asked how she would want to be treasured, she said, “I want them to remember me as the girl na walang paki. I’m not fuzzy and I just go with the follow. If you want to criti- cize me, criticize me. If you like it, good. If you don’t, well, too bad for me.”