One of the Kapuso network’s original babies, former Click Chynna Ortaleza shows that there’s still plenty of spunk and style left in her.
When Chynna Ortaleza walked through the door of our studio, we almost didn’t recognize her. The former Click star (yes, we know, that show was so long ago, but people still remember her for it) was sporting a shorter, almost boyish cut�"and once her makeup and clothes were on, the feeling we got was like someone had taken away the Chynna we knew and replaced her with another person.
Chynna laughs at our reaction. “This was my idea,” she says, explaining that she did it for her role in Codename: Asero where she plays the main villain to Heart Evangelista. The shorter hair and the clothes in bold colors and severe cuts are part of a calculated effort to make the sweet-faced Chynna look more matapang onscreen.“Ganyan talaga ako, especially if I know na mabigat yung character na gagawin ko,” she adds.
According to Chynna, her character Fran is Heart’s main villain. “There are other villains in the show, but Fran is the main villain na gugulo sa relationship nila ni Chard (Richard Gutierrez). Fran is the complete opposite of Heart’s character. Fran is an upper-class girl na matapang. Pati sa itsura, ibang-iba kay Heart. So I listened really carefully during the characterization process to make sure that there is a distinction between Heart and me. That explains why I cut my hair. Dapat hindi talaga makita ng tao si Chynna; dapat ang makita nila, si Fran.”
Well, we will say this: as far as we were concerned, it worked.
HERE AND NOWWe can’t stop remarking on Chynna’s hair. Chynna, meanwhile, can’t stop talking about how excited she is to be doing this role in Codename: Asero. She’d been waiting for this kind of a break for sometime. The last time the public saw her onscreen was in La Vendetta, which ended around January. Chynna is excited about Asero because it blends comedy, drama and action. “Nice yung pagkaka-jell nila ng mga elements, at least hindi boring dahil hindi puro action lang. Well-balanced yung show,” she says.
She’s excited by the challenge of playing only the second black character in her career; the first one was in Atlantika. “Talagang kaiinisan ang character ko dito,” says Chynna with a gleeful smile. “But I’m looking forward to it. Ever since, I’ve always expressed my longing to GMA for more character roles. Kasi in the past, ang mga roles ko, kung hindi bida, girlfriend ng bida. I’m grateful for those roles because they gave my name a ring and people got to know me very well, but deep down, I wasn’t satisfied. I was looking for something more challenging.”
When she finally got the role in Asero, Chynna was willing to do everything to pull it off, including cut her hair and adopt a new fashion style that borders on mannish. A lot of it is the result of Chynna’s own experimentation with fashion; she also gets help from her good friend, stylist Mervin Lazaro.
Chynna loves fashion. In fact, she has her own line of fashion accessories called Stellar. Whenever she gets the chance, she offers fashion advice to her fellow Kapuso stars. When Women’s Journal photographed the most recent batch of Starstruck winners�"Jewel Mische, Kris Bernal, Aljur Abrenica and Mart Escudero�"for two separate covers last year, it was Chynna who provided the clothes and accessories for the girls, even going to the extent of labeling each dress with instructions on what accessories would go with it.
So where does this passion for fashion come from? “Since I was a kid, mahilig na ako,” says Chynna. “My mom used to dress me well. Napasok na ‘yon sa pagkatao ko. Mahilig kasi ako sa damit. Mahilig ako magbihis na may pagka-edgy. Tinitingnan ko ang mga trends. Kapag bagay sa akin, ini-incorporate ko sa look ko.”
LOOKING BACKTo date, Chynna has been in the business for seven years. In all of those seven years, she has maintained a relatively low profile�"low in the sense that she has not been involved in any scandals or gotten into any fights or arguments with her fellow Kapuso talents or those from the rival network.
She notices that a lot of the young stars nowadays seem to court controversy on purpose. “What’s ironic about it is that these kids, the new ones, even if you tell them, kahit pagsabihan mo sila, they’re still going to commit those mistakes. Marami akong nakikita na mga bata ngayon na pasaway.”
As far as Chynna�"who functions like a big sister to the younger stars�"is concerned, if they’re not picking on her, then she tries not to get involved. “Basta di ako directly affected, hinahayaan ko na lang. Usually, kapag naapektuhan ako, deadma. Or sometimes, I tell their handler para yun na ang magsabi. Mabuti na lang, wala pang direktang bumabangga sa akin.”
She thinks that the reason a lot of the newcomers are like this is because they haven’t learned to fully appreciate what they’ve been given. “What they have right now is given to them na parang instant mami,” she says. “Yung tipo bang nilagyan lang tubig, sumikat na. Before, we really had to work for our roles. Nothing was instant. Oo, kukunin ka ng network, but you have to prove your worth.”
In Chynna’s time (which wasn’t so long ago either), there were no talent searches like Starstruck. “After our batch, Starstruck na ang pumasok. In a way, we also felt bad na ganoon ang nangyari, kasi kami, ilang years na kami nag-wo-work, tapos sa kanila, ang bilis dumating ng suwerte. Pero yon nga, madalas, mabilis din ang bagsak.”
Of course, she has nothing against the Starstruck talents. Many of them, like Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi and Mark Herras, are good friends of hers. She’s also close to LJ Reyes and Ryza Cenon. It’s a good thing, says Chynna, that in the case of some of them, they have solid support that keeps them grounded despite the fame. “Mabuti na lang na may nag-gu-guide sa kanila, gaya kay Yas, her mom is also with her, si Mark din, solid ang support ng family, kaya di sila masyadong pasaway.”
FUTURE PERFECTShe’s been in the business long enough to talk this way, but Chynna is determined to keep going. She keeps finding ways by which she can better herself, and make her every performance better than her last. “The network knows naman that they can always count on me,” she says. “I won’t give unacceptable performances. Hindi ko ipapahiya ang network.”
She also has no plans of jumping ship�"even if there are downtimes in her career. “There was a time na wala akong work,” she begins. “Pero naisip ko, 11 years old pa lang ako, nasa GMA na ako. Kinuha nila ako from being a commercial model. Ginawa nila akong Chynna Ortaleza. Whatever I have is with the support of the network. I can’t leave the people who made me what I am now. Ayoko talagang iwan sila. I owe them a lot. I haven’t paid my dues yet. Ang pangit naman na iiwanan ko sila just like that.”
From experience, Chynna knows that the way to deal with a problem is to talk about it�"and in the case of GMA-7, she says that ever since, the network has been very open with her. “If you have problems naman, you can talk to them, lalo’t kung feeling mo napapabayaan ka. Communication is open, and they’re willing to listen.”
Right now, Chynna’s main concern is just trying to improve herself. “I’m taking it one step at a time, one day at a time,” she says. “I try not to think of the future, dahil baka masira lang ang ulo ko kapag hindi nangyari.”
If I could describe myself in one word, it would be determined because I’ve always been a person who never made it an option to quit.
If someone asked me what the best thing about my life is, I would say my family because I am blessed with a perfect whole family. They are my greatest critics and supporters. My family inspires me to work hard and become a better person.
If I could change one thing about me, it would be my forgetfulness because I tend to forget a lot of things. Hassle!
If I could repeat one memorable experience in my life, it would be my eighth birthday because it was fun and I felt so happy.
If I could do something right now, on the spur of the moment, and with no consequences, I would go out of the country and travel alone because I want to be able to go away and enjoy my life and myself. It’s perfect. I will be able to know myself on a deeper level.
If my house was on fire and I could only save three things, they would be my keepsake box, family pictures and our important documents because these are the things that mean a lot to me.
If I could exchange places with anyone right now, I’d exchange places with Madonna because I want to be an icon like her.
If I could solve one of the world’s problems with one wave of my hand, I’d choose to solve the gas price hike because it makes everything now so difficult. Everything is too expensive.
If I could settle in any other country for life, I would live in Paris because it is the city of romance, passion and art.
If I could emulate any of our female stars in terms of how she’s lived her life, it would be Cherie Gil because she is a good thespian and she has a strong core and a great family.
If I had enough money to build anything I wanted anywhere I wanted, I would build a Disneyland resort here in Manila because I want every Filipino to feel the magic of childhood.
If I could eat anything right now, I’d reach for a Menlo pizza from Di Marks because it’s so delicious!
If I was going to die in 24 hours, the last thing I would do would be to stay with my family and Deo because they are my happy thoughts.
If a genie granted me three wishes, my wishes would be for better education for Filipinos, a good and comfy life for my parents and a fruitful business for myself and my future family because these are the things that I care about.
If I could have a whole day to myself, I would watch movies and go to theme parks because it makes me tremendously happy.
If I could give young people advice about dealing with their problems, I would say think positive and be friends with our God because this will make you strong and your path will lead you in the right direction.
If there’s one valuable lesson I learned from parents, it would be to respect people and work hard because this allows me to maintain good relationships and it also allows me to live life perfectly.
If I could pick my best friend in show business, it would be Isabel Oli, LJ Reyes and Raymond Gutierrez because they are real.
If I could espouse or support a special cause, I would devote my time and effort to providing proper education for the Filipino people because education can eradicate poverty.
If my life had turned out differently and I wasn’t in showbiz, I’d be in broadcast journalism because I was trained in that field early on.
If I could wear one item of clothing without being laughed at, I would wear British tea hats because they are so pretty.
If I could run for elective office, I would choose to run for president because pinaka-powerful na siyempre!
If I could choose the guy that I would marry, I would choose a guy who had drive and ambition because I can’t live with a man who does not see the value of work.
And now, before this Q and A ends, I’d like to say to you, watch Codename: Asero and always keep on believing because it will make life feel lighter and brighter!
FASHION BY PREVIEW AT 50TH AVENUE, ROBINSONS GALLERIAWATCH BY L TIME STUDIOACCESSORIES BY STELLAR BY CHYNNA (http://stellar01.multiply.com)MAKEUP BY GERALD MENORIAS OF RICKY REYES SALON (SM NORTH EDSA II) AND HAIRSTYLING BY ROSE CRUZ (SM CITY STA. MESA)NAILS BY COSMO NAILS. BELLAGIO SQUARE, TOMAS MORATO, Q.C.
