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PHOTOGRAPHY: DOC MARLON PECJO
INTERVIEW: ALEX C. PAITA
STYLING: CHARMAINE PALERMO
ASSITED BY: JOHN PARAS
MAKEUP: XENG ZULUETA
HAIR: FELICITY SON
special thanks to 7 Stones Boracay Suites, Bulabog beach, Bulabog, Boracay, Mr. Marco Manzon
and Mark Belisimo of www.7stonesboracay.com, GMA Artist Center Ms. Ida Henares;Daryl Zamora and Anthony Aldea

How’s your day so far?
I’m feeling great. Medyo na-delay lang yung flight ko kanina. But then I’m already here in Boracay and ready to do whatever is needed of me. Ha ha!

How did you prepare for this shoot, knowing that it’s going to be on a beach and tiny pieces of clothing are mandatory?
Siyempre binawasan ko yung pagkain ko. I never went to the gym, though. Basically my exercise is household chores lang. Basta ang importante is I sweat. Tinatamad ako pag gym, ayoko yung feel niya. Wala rin akong kasamang mag-gym. Also, I run and jump-rope at home. Basta when I have the time, I make use of it. Busy rin kasi ako sa school.

We were about to ask you that. Don’t you have a hard time juggling school and work?
For StarStruck, I stopped schooling for a while, but I made sure I’d go back to school and finish it. So now, siyempre mahirap pero I’m really determined to finish school kahit nagta-trabaho na ako ngayon. It’s all about time management.

So that’s the secret to being a Dean’s Lister, too.
Ha ha! I’m not. Wala nang ganun, basta makapasa lang.

It’s good that we’re seeing more of you now. Tell us about your new show, Sisid.
It’s GMA 7’s summer offering. It’s a little sexy, so I get to show a little skin. Contravida pa rin, so maldita ako rito. I’m kind of getting used to being a contravida. Nagiging comfortable na ako. But I’m still trying to master the craft.

Still we can’t imagine you excelling at contravida roles. You strike us as a goody-two-shoes kind of girl.
Wow, thanks. Ha ha! It all started in Little Star. They gave me a break to do a contravida role. Natuwa sila, so they gave me another chance.

How do you psyche yourself up before playing the wicked part for a scene?
Iniisip ko lang yung detractors ko. Yung mga hindi naniniwala sa akin. Yung mga bagay dati na nag-down sa akin. Yun lang galit na galit na ako. Ha ha!

How long do you think will you stick to being an antagonist?
Ako naman, basta work wala akong questions. Basta gagawin ko kahit anong role pa ang ibigay sa akin.

If you were given a free hand to pick a role yourself, what would it be?
Well, after contravida, baka bida naman. Ha ha! Well I’m always looking forward to doing action—like I’m a superheroine or something.

Let’s talk about the more important part of this show: you showing more skin. How much skin do we expect to see here?
Not naman super, parang enough lang to get what I want. And what I want is agawin yung loved one ng bida namin. Just enough distractions to seduce the guy.

Looking at you now, there’s not much you need to expose to actually seduce a guy. But we’re still hopeful to see a lot, you know.
Ha ha! Okay, for this role, you’ll see me wearing a lot of hanging blouses and short shorts.

Talking about seduction, which part of your body, your weapon of choice?
My hips. Sobrang curvy nila. Ha ha! But really, it runs in the blood. Kahit tumaba man kami sa family, may shape pa rin yung baywang namin. So siguro, kapag nasayaw ako ng guy iiwanan niya yung girlfriend niya.

SEE RICH'S FULL INTERVIEW IN THE MAY 2011 ISSUE OF FHM!