Cristine Reyes recently opened up on life as a “single mom” and why she honestly doesn’t feel like one.
“To be honest, I don’t feel like a single mom,” shared Cristine, who is mom to eight-year-old Amarah. “Because I’m happy.”
According to the 34-year-old actress, her daughter straightened out her life and is a “big factor” whenever she has to make major decisions.
“She’s my fortress. When I’m lost, I would go back and just look at her because she’s so innocent. I wanna give her everything that I didn’t have. So, I’m happy that I have a child who is very kind and very smart,” the proud mommy said.
But it’s not just motherhood that’s giving her joy and motivation. She could say that she’s reached a point where she’s happy with everything in life. “Maybe it’s like that when you’re contented with your life and you don’t aspire too high. You’re contented with what is given to you,” she reflected.
Contentment in life also means she’s not looking to enter any romantic relationship after her failed marriage. When it comes to potential suitors, “feeling ko dapat mag-background check muna tayo sa lahat,” she laughed.
“Kapag iisipin ko yung nakaraan… parang preno muna. I wouldn’t say I have trauma (from that relationship). It’s just that I learned my lesson not to force things.”
Cristine’s candidness was a refreshing “change” from her past interviews. She didn’t object a veteran reporter’s observation how she used to be evasive before (“Laging may iniiwasan”). “Ganun talaga ang tao pag may binibitbit na problema, it will show,” she said. “Now that I’m free, I’m more relaxed. I can focus on myself with my daughter, with my life.”
If anything, she attributed this “new aura” to life experience, including “challenges, trials, losses, wins…I guess it comes with age, you really mature, you get a lot of learnings. I choose my battles now…wisely.”
The STAR and other select press were able to interview Cristine at the Viva headquarters in Ortigas during the renewal of her five-year management contract with the entertainment and talent management company. She cut a picture of happiness and contentment, and turned a little emotional while reflecting on her 20 years in the business, 15 years of which spent with Viva.
According to Cristine, to have lasted this long in the industry surpassed her expectations. “I started very young, wala pa akong masyadong iniisip. So, it’s overwhelming whenever I say 20 years, and 15 years with Viva,” she said.
Besides the movie Martyr or Murderer, which rolls into theaters on March 1, her next projects include a comedy, a romantic-comedy action and a drama film with Baron Geisler under Dollhouse director Marla Ancheta.
She welcomes opportunities to work anew with GMA Network. “I mean, mother network ko po yung GMA. Tinuring ko na rin na hanggang ngayon parang family friend na yung ibang tao sa GMA. To be honest, I would still love to work with them.”
While in her wishlist of actors to work with are Vilma Santos and John Lloyd Cruz.
An international project would be an answered prayer. “I do have plans, of course, but we can’t force it. Perhaps, it has something to do with timing also… If there’s an offer, I would love to do an international project. Who doesn’t?”
“Actually, I want to do a lot of things,” she further said.
Cristine, who in her younger years dreamt of becoming a newscaster like Mel Tiangco, revealed that she wants to be a writer and mentor in the next phase of her career.
“Five years from now, I’m definitely still doing films. Ten years’ time, I’m envisioning myself giving back to aspiring actors and also contributing to Viva my ideas eventually. I wanna write (scripts), I wanna teach acting eventually. Maybe in 10 years’ time, or who knows? Because I’m very artistic so dun talaga (that’s how I see myself in the future).”
Meanwhile, the interview had Cristine ruminating about her acting journey and taking stock of its highs and lows such as “hitting rock bottom” after the Ondoy calamity in 2009.
Looking back on her career, she further said, “I would definitely say that I really felt cared for here at Viva. And no matter what tests I went through in my personal life, Viva never left me. They trusted me, even when I was struggling. I think I’m blessed to have a management like Viva.”
There was a time when Cristine thought she’d never be able to make a showbiz comeback. “I was contemplating back in the day, when I wanted to have my own family, settle and live a peaceful life, and I thought I would succeed but I failed.
“But nevertheless, I really prayed, kaya pa ba? Because there were many new faces and many talented people (coming in). That’s why… whatever I have at the moment, I’m really valuing it now because ayoko na mawala. I’m very thankful that I’m with Viva because they trusted me all the way after everything. So, that trust, I don’t want to break it.”
She continued, “And of course, I owe everything to (GMA reality contest) StarStruck because they got me as well. But also, I’m thankful to ABS-CBN because they gave me so many teleseryes. They trusted me with No. 1, Eva Fonda, my first show on ABS-CBN and it was a starring role.
“I’m really, really thankful to God because I don’t know what I did to have all these blessings in my life. Now, that I’m much mature, I’m grateful for what I have. If you compare me before, I was very much playful, I didn’t really take my work seriously. But now, I appreciate everything I have.”