MANILA, Philippines - Lauren Anne Young arrived at the photo shoot with hardly any makeup, but her beauty and youthful energy were more than enough to fill up the room. Everybody in the creative team agreed that it was a breeze to shoot the model-thin Lauren, who nailed one pose after another. Seeing the passion she put into the shoot, it was easy to conclude that given the right break, the 17-year-old actress is going to make it big in showbiz.
And boy, were we right! That evening, the half-Filipino, half-American charmer received the greatest news of her life — she would star as the lead in a major primetime show of her home network ABS-CBN.
Not one to let opportunities like this pass by, the teen actress has been working hard on and off the set. “I love my job because I get to meet a lot of people and learn things from them,” says Lauren, whose star is definitely on the rise — thanks to her first starrer in the remake of the teleserye classic Mula Sa Puso.
The 5-ft.-6-in.-tall Lauren is the youngest daughter of Calvin and Victoria Young. In the cutthroat and competitive industry that is show business, Lauren finds wisdom in the lessons her parents taught her. “My dad always reminds me not to let anyone bring me down. My mom, on the other hand, tells me that in whatever I do, I should do it for myself and not just to please someone else.”
It also helps that her sister Megan is also in show business. Both Star Magic talents, Lauren downplays talk that pits her against her sister. She says, “I actually look up to my sister Megan. Every day, she continues to inspire me. For someone to do what she does is truly amazing. She goes to school, works a lot and still manages to have a smile on her face.” Lauren also prioritizes her studies. She is a senior high school student at Angelicum College and loves Trigonometry and English.
She also fondly recalls how fun her childhood was. “There are times I wish I could go back and relive those memories,” gushes Lauren, who counts moving to the Philippines from the US one of the turning points of her life. “I remember how my brother would teach me how to ride a bike in second grade. We would also make forts in my room and during Fall, would rake up leaves. My mom would let us jump into the mound of leaves after.” The young Lauren also took up ballet lessons. “Ballet calms me down and gets me in touch with my feminine side,” she relates.
Asked where she will be a few years from now, Lauren muses, “I honestly have no idea. I live in the now. And that’s what I’m focused on — the present.” But to those who have seen how dedicated this young girl is to her craft, it’s obvious that a bright future awaits her. After all, Lauren Young is on many lists of stars to watch out for.