For its opening salvo, Celebrity Conversations bring in the woman of the hour, Belle Mariano. She is definitely in demand! Here are some impressions on that first episode.
Simply Heartwarming:
Props to Direk Lauren for a heartwarming interview. There have been countless interviews, but this one was able to bring out a lot of Belle’s struggles and joys. It was probably because Direk Lauren is no reporter. They seem like simply having a conversation with one’s uncle one idyllic Sunday afternoon.
The Past, the Present, and the Future
Suffice it to say that the interview sounds like something to put where Belle is into perspective. It starts with her recounting the journey of a nine-year old that we have been quite familiar with. She has been entertaining family at a young age during gatherings. Her ability to entertain has been honed at an early age. This is not the first time we heard this, but realizing that the Titas and Titos and all the family members have probably enjoyed her performances first and they probably miss her acts now that she is very busy. At that time, who would have thought she’d be a star? We hope she can still entertain her family in their private events. This time with the pizzazz of a young lady who has performed in Araneta and with successful concerts. The wait has been underscored. Belle
The present is so sweet as the dreams are turning into reality. She might have had to bid her time but now she is acting, dancing on the ASAP stage and even a recording artist with a concert and will be working on her second album. Multi-talented on different levels, indeed.
As Belle looks forward, she talks about a role she wants to tackle. She admits to wanting to be a bida-kontrabida or to be a maldita. Belle has a sweet face and calm demeanor that it is hard to picture her as one. Even Direk Lauren asks if she can pull it off but conceded as he realizes that he is in front of a good actress- Belle despite being one of the nicest in the biz and her angelic face will deliver if she gets a maldita role. How will they execute this? Some previous ABS CBN projects come to mind like Ruby portrayed by Angelica Panganiban and Claudine Barretto’s Saan Ka Man Naroroon where she plays Rosenda, Rosario, and Rosemarie- triplets with differing personalities.
She also wants to get an award. Belle is not bashful in admitting that she likes awards. No false modesty here. That is quite refreshing as often times, people won’t admit that they want accolades. We know that it is just a matter of time before she fills her shelf with those awards from different bodies. The only things we don’t know are which project will be the vehicle and which award will be first.
Achilles Heel
Belle cries when she remembers how the bashing and the negative comments have affected her family. She has mentioned this before how she is okay with being at the receiving end of unpalatable comments, but it hits differently when people she loves feel bad on her account. She ends up asking herself why they should suffer in pursuit of her dreams.
A Woman on a Mission
What is so striking is that the interview has also showcased Belle’s strength from the time she was a child dreaming to be on TV. The singularity of purpose was on point. For one, she negotiated her way to being allowed to make her parents consider giving in to her dreams. From what she says about her routines and their objections, her parents seem to have a different and more traditional vision of how she would grow up. They want her to focus on school, but the young Belle Mariano is so determined that she offered nightly massage to her parents and tried to convince them that she can balance her time like her favorite Hannah Montana. Going through 100 go sees is no joke. You have to do the same things over and over. The tying out was easy, but to face close doors each and every time, to not get a call back, to learn that you give your best but did not impress the talent scouts can be too much for even an adult, but Belle at 9 years old did not easily lost heart and knows that she just has to keep on trying. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted. She knows what she wanted and would not stop until she got her first commercial with Bear Brand, then a teleserye, Lorenzo’s Time, a regular stint in Goin' Bulilit, and the rest, as they say, is history. We all know how she has waited for her time to get a big break in her ten years going on 11 in the industry.
A Darling
Direk Lauren commends Belle for being professional or even more so, a darling on the set. He mentions not hearing any negative feedback about her from the managers during meetings. He is so happy that Belle knows how to take care of the opportunities that come her way. Direk Lauren has been in the business for quite a while. He has seen a lot of celebrities rise and fall as they give in to letting fame get into their heads. Direk Lauren notes that Belle maintains being grounded, partly a testament to how her family helps her do so. In any work-related environment, it is important to have a good attitude. Talent alone will not bring you success. Some talented people do not get to stay long in their jobs or careers because they are mean and have poor relationship with people. It takes more than talent to get far. We are glad that Belle has both. She is both talented and professional.
"Ang punong hitik sa bunga binabato"
Translation: Belle is successful and that is why she is highly criticized. People’s attention are directed on her.
"No one can bring a Belle Mariano down"
Translation: Belle is very strong. She might get disheartened a bit but she will rise up to the challenge.
"On your own, you are holding yourself well."
Lately, love teams are under scrutiny and how it is unhealthy for those who are boxed in one, but then, Direk Lauren notes that Belle is so talented that she can handle herself well. She has projects outside of the love team. We do love DonBelle a lot and we love it when they work together, but it is good to know that they both can be productive on their own. It is great to see them shining in their own projects.
Belle’s success may not have come early on like others her generation, but one thing is for sure, she is ready for her close up, honey shot, or any shot for that matter. All the positive feedback from Direk Lauren prove that Belle is a star and she will keep on shining for a long time.
Additional Note: This has been taped last year when Belle was about to turn 10 years in the biz because this year, she is approaching her 11th year. It seems to be sometime midyear but has only been released last March 7, 2023.
Credits:
Pic from Rise's Insta post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpjnlzqPqiZ/
Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H44b-M-pcH4
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