MANILA, Philippines — Beauty Gonzalez said she’s a “very bad Beauty” in GMA Network’s new afternoon drama thriller, Stolen Life, premiering today.
“Kakaiba talaga. I’m a b***h there,” she recently told The STAR in a virtual one-on-one. “I’m a very, very bad, bad, bad Beauty hahaha!”
But, as Beauty also teased, so is her co-star Carla Abellana. The latter is taking on her first-ever “kontrabida” role in a teleserye.
Carla plays Lucy who is married to a rich and loving man, Darius (Gabby Concepcion). Beauty is Lucy’s cousin and Darius’ assistant Farrah, who dreams of having Lucy’s life and achieves it by using “astral projection.”
This “supernatural phenom” has been defined as an out-of-body experience wherein the spirit leaves the physical body voluntarily or involuntarily.
“So, I’m excited for everybody to see… the switching of characters between me and Carla Abellana. They’re gonna be confused kung sino na talaga si Carla, kung sino si Beauty diyan. ‘Cause Carla’s amazing, like she’s really good at being bad also and to see her in a different light, it’s exciting!”
Beauty also spoke highly of her and Carla’s leading man, Gabby. “And of course, Gabby (Concepcion) gwapo! Syempre papatayin namin yung isa’t isa for him hahaha! But he’s such a cool guy, he’s such a nice guy. I love working with him. Like this is the first time that I’ve got to work with these two people and they’re just amazing. Sobra!”
She continued, “They make everything (easy). Because iba yung taping life from movie life. In the taping life, we do like 30 sequences, for example, in a day. It’s very long hours and different emotions in a day and I’m just so thankful that these two amazing people made it easy for me.”
Beauty also enjoyed working on this series because of the collaborative environment. She suggested how one “crime” scene would be executed and “then the production agreed to my suggestion.”
“So kinilig ako kasi, you know, they listen to us also and they think it was a great idea so I was happy na part siya sa scene na yun.”
Beauty also got emotional pointing out that Stolen Life is her reunion project with director Jerry Sineneng, who helmed her in the ABS-CBN series Kadenang Ginto, widely credited as the drama that first showed she deserves her leading lady status.
“It’s the reunion project with my director before in Kadenang Ginto, Jerry Sineneng. He helped me create (my then character) Romina Mondragon and I can’t wait for everybody to see Farrah.”
Because of her successive lead-role projects, including the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival entry (K)Ampon, Beauty couldn’t help but say that “it’s been a very, very good year for me.”
“I still can’t believe it. I’m very thankful,” she added.
Meanwhile, the actress interestingly revealed that she doesn’t like watching herself on screen and has never seen any of her work in its entirety, even if reviews would praise her performance in that series or film. During premiere nights, she said that she would get out of the cinema rather than watch herself.
“I’ve never seen (my work). Yeah, I don’t watch myself eh,” she admitted. “Bad habit though but I would lie to you if I haven’t watched myself. I mean, I watched, like, if I have to post some teasers on Instagram but I don’t really watch my whole show.”
She then explained, “I’m a nitpicker eh so parang… I feel bad, I don’t… I had a body dysmorphia thing. And so, you know, I just stay away from it.”
She continued, “It’s really hard to explain. No, I’m not a perfectionist ‘cause I’m very ano naman, very trusting. I just don’t really like to watch myself. I get conscious talaga.
“I don’t even wanna see myself in the mirror. But the funny thing is those photos of me on Instagram are the photos taken by my husband. Siya ang kumuha nun. If wala si Norman, wala akong Instagram hahaha! He helps me with my (social media) kasi hindi talaga ako ma-picture kasi.”
That’s why, when it comes to her performance, Beauty places her trust in her director, co-stars and the entire production.
“That’s why yung trust ko with my director and my production team really matters to me and to the people around me and my husband.”
Speaking of her businessman-husband Norman Crisologo, The STAR asked Beauty how she balances family life and work commitments.
“Time management. I really try my best,” she said.
She then added, “But you know what, no need to balance. Just intertwine,” stressing her point about how closely connected her responsibilities as mother and wife with her professional life by showing us her intertwined hands.
That’s why she’s often joined by her husband and their daughter Olivia, especially during out-of-town shoots.
“Actually, they don’t really stay on the set ‘cause they don’t want me to feel bothered na I keep thinking about them. They’re not always on the set. They just love to travel when I’m in a different place. They wanna go there and explore the place,” Beauty shared.
“I’m happy that my husband has the energy to do that because, for me, that’s the best education that you could have. I mean school is good but this is more fun, the bonding. During my day-off, I see them. They’re always nearby. ‘Pag na krung krung na ako, then bilis lang takbo nila sa akin.”