Beauty Gonzalez feels blessed to explore all sides of acting
MANILA, Philippines — Beauty Gonzalez is becoming known as the new “horror queen,” thanks to her successive horror projects.
One of her films, In My Mother’s Skin, is currently one of the most-watched content on Prime Video Philippines. Her upcoming movie alongside Derek Ramsay, (K)Ampon, has secured a spot as an official entry in the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival. She’s also in the midst of shooting a Ten17P film directed by Carlo Ledesma, titled The Outside, a psychological horror film.
When asked about being hailed as the next horror queen, the 32-year-old Dumaguete-raised actress responded with refreshing candor, saying, “Sinasabi nga nila horror queen na daw ko, hay, Ginoo ko! I mean I could never beat Kris (Aquino), no. Iba talaga yung panahon nila dati. The way that the movies make money before is really different from the movies right now.”
She acknowledged the legendary status of those who came before her but is content with her own place in the genre. If people say she’s next, “I’m happy to have the title naman.”
One thing is clear: Beauty feels fortunate to explore this side of her acting career, as many actors don’t get the chance. Some are hesitant, while others are restricted by contracts.
She also recognizes that horror roles are more challenging than drama and can be physically and mentally taxing. “Mas madali pang umiyak, mag-drama rather than, you know, magpatakot and … it’s very strenuous acting.”
But she also finds it fun. “I’m just happy and blessed that I get to explore all sides of acting.”
Beauty emphasized her fascination with the psychological aspect of the horror genre, saying, “I enjoy trying to delve into the character’s past, problems, and creating a backstory. It’s like conducting an experiment or an investigation. It’s a lot more complex than drama, where you know where to go emotionally. In horror, you have to add various elements to create fear. There are many ways to scare people. And that’s what makes it exciting — the psychological part.”
She also embraces a makeup-free and less glamorous appearance for her roles, stating, “I’m not scared at all. I enjoy not wearing makeup on set. Applying prosthetics can be quite challenging, especially when they need to stay on for a long time. ‘Dun mo makikita talaga yung totoong ganda, haha!
“I’m currently working on a film, and I’m completely makeup-free. They even added more under-eye bags for my character. I thought, ‘My goodness, this is it.’
“Nevertheless, it’s very liberating because you know I’m just being myself.”
When discussing her approach to immersing herself in dark-themed projects and transitioning out of them, Beauty stressed the importance of trust in her production team, director, and co-actors. She acknowledged that having a support system is crucial, especially in horror acting.
“It’s important you trust everyone around you so they’ll help you when you’re not feeling well or you’re tired… So far, I’m very blessed because like In My Mother’s Skin, Epicmedia… was really nice, taking care of us in Bacolod. Also now Ten17P, they’re very nice also. Awa ng Diyos napunta rin din ako sa mga production na alam mo yung maalaga kasi mahirap din talaga ‘pag hindi ganon. Baka ako na yung zombie pagkatapos ng movie haha!”
As for her next big-screen outing, (K)Ampon, she said, “We’re done actually. We finished it on time, and we got approved for the MMFF agad. I was so shocked. I was so happy. The script is really beautiful. It was a four-year script and it went to many artistas and then finally it landed to me. I’m thankful to Atty. Joji (Alonso, producer) for trusting me with this project and also to my manager (Aguila Management) for always believing in me.”
Besides horror, Beauty’s versatility shines in her acting projects this year. She expressed her excitement for her year-end projects such as the GMA teleserye Stolen Life, which serves as her reunion project with her Kadenang Ginto director Jerry Sineneng. “Kakaiba talaga,” she said. “I’m a b***h there. I’m a very, very bad, bad Beauty.”
She’s also set to reprise her role as Sen. Bong Revilla’s leading lady in the action-comedy series Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis. “It’s nice to speak Bisaya on TV once in a while.”
Asked how she adapts her acting style to fit different genres, she explained, “I consciously study my character, explore, and dig deep to understand both the good and bad sides of the character.” She’s also open to seeking help when needed, even calling her husband, art curator-businessman Norman Crisologo, when she’s “confused.” Her husband’s opinion also matters when she selects roles, saying, “We read scripts together, weigh the pros and cons, and discuss how each role may affect me. He provides an outsider’s perspective on the potential outcomes. But ultimately, he lets me follow my heart and instincts. That’s what I appreciate about him.”
Beauty’s career philosophy, nowadays, is simple: “What’s meant for you will come to you, and good things happen to good people. I choose those who choose me.”
If “blessed” seems to be Beauty’s favorite word, she has every reason to use it. It’s been a remarkable year for her. “I’m just so overwhelmed with all this happening to me. I’m building a new house. And I have endorsements also… My dreams are coming true ba and it’s nice ‘cause all the hard work that I’ve been doing for the past few years, especially, is finally, slowly happening with the support of my loving husband,” said Beauty, who was accompanied by Norman and their daughter Olivia on location in Negros while she wrapped up her shoot.
Regarding her future dreams in showbiz, she aspires to work on international projects, primarily focused on art films rather than commercial ones. “Oh my god, I wanna have a talk show, I wanna have an action film… I wanna have… my god natataranta ako haha! Be careful what you wish for ‘di ba? (I wish for) another festival film, more art films and more beautiful stories to film,” she added.
Meanwhile, The STAR asked Beauty to answer some fun questions. Read on:
If you could trade lives with any fictional/non-fictional character for a day, who would it be?
“I’m happy with my life… pero Frida Kahlo… for her fashion, style, paintings, except the accident part. She had a very colorful life.”
If you could travel back in time to any era, what would it be and what would you do there?
“I’ll be in the renaissance. I will be the assistant of Michelangelo or I’ll be the model haha! It’s where it all began and dun kasi nag-flourish yung art, yung time na yun. And I wanna be in that time.”
If you could have any dinner with any historical figure, living or dead, who would it be and what would you ask them?
“Pablo Picasso and I will ask him to paint a portrait of me haha! Pero ang dami niyang girls!”
If you have to survive a monster or zombie apocalypse, what would be your Top 3 survival tools?
“If I’m near a hospital, I’ll get yung parang emergency bag with all the gamot na… I don’t know, a machete siguro? I’ll have an energy drink like cobra, lipovitan or energy bar, ganun, para may energy.”
What’s that one superstition you believe in or continue to believe today?
“Di ako naniniwala sa mga ganun eh.”
Do you have secret hobbies that your fans might be surprised to know?
“Nakita na lahat sa akin simula PBB (Pinoy Big Brother, her first showbiz break). Maybe my husband can answer this question.
(When told that we were surprised to learn she was an early riser who reads newspapers first thing in the morning…) “I have two newspapers in the morning and I wake up at five a.m. everyday. I just love the smell (of newspapers) in the morning. It reminds me of my dad. My dad would smoke cigarettes and read newspapers. I could see newspapers on the table. I don’t like cigarettes anymore so I’ll just leave the newspaper. It brings me back home.”
Do you have a guilty pleasure or comfort food?
“Laswa. Law-oy (a Bisaya boiled vegetable soup).”
Care to share some embarrassing bloopers on set?
“Oh my god! I have a lot of bloopers because I’m very makulit on the set. Yung pagmumura ko pa lang in Bisaya … too many to remember.”
Most memorable fan encounter you’ve had so far?
“I love meeting young fans. I’m here in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental and people here are so nice and sweet like every day they send food to me on the set. I don’t even know how to thank them anymore. Naiiyak nga ako minsan ‘cause it’s too much and then I know na galing pa sa mga baon nila or like gumastos pa sila every day. Talagang nakakaloka ang bait-bait ng mga tao dito and I just love them!”
If your life were a sitcom, what would be a good catchphrase or tagline?
“Life is beautiful.”
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