|
Carla Humphries:
Latest Mestiza Teen Actress
is Pinoy at Heart
by Geneva S. Austria
From: MOD Girl, Star Girl
Section
October 17, 2003 issue
CARLA HUMPHRIES must be the teen actress to
have the most
diverse family ever. Her mom is a Filipina with roots in Batangas and her
dad
is an Italian-American who grew up in France. Carla is one of four children.
Alec, the eldest, and Carla were born in the United States; Nicolas, the
third child, was born in France; and Samantha, the bunso, was born here.
Carla went to a French school until her mom
decided to transfer her to
a local school. Carla's mom heard of the ABS-CBN Distance Learning
Center and enrolled her there.
But this American-born, French-schooled gal
professes to be very much
a Filipino at heart. Carla is even fond of saying that "sa labas she's
mestiza but
sa loob she's pinoy na pinoy." Chicharon is a sinful indulgence,
along with tuyo
and rice, champorado, chokolate and pan de sal. And she's very
much in
touch with her Batangueño roots. She loves to swim and she names going to
the fabulous beaches in Batangas as one of her ways to unwind. Punta Fuego,
Matabungkay and White Cove are her faves. If she's not in the mood to do
laps, she can be found by the seaside horseback riding.
This is what makes her unique, Carla says, this
being very Pinoy in spite of
her Western upbringing. She gets a kick out of surprising people with this
uniqueness. One person she really surprised and enthralled was Mr. M. himself,
Johnny Manahan. Perhaps it was the Audrey Hepburn aura she has. Audrey
Hepburn is her all-time fave actress. "Pinaglihi ako sa kanya," she says.
"And
I've seen all her movies. I'm a fan of classic films!"
So Mr. M. saw Carla and asked her if she'd like
to audition for the Talent
Center. She did. And after weeks of workshops (interspersed with hours of
school at the DLC) she became part of the Star Circle Batch 11. So far she's
guested in Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas, ASAP and Maalaala Mo Kaya. She
is
one of the three girls who endorse the clothing line BUM. She's also undergoing
voice lessons. Mr. M. wants her to develop her talent in singing in addition to
acting.
"Ever since I was small I really wanted to act,"
she says. She's starred in school
plays and musicals like Alice in Wonderland and Three Oranges and a
Princess.
But this time, the kind of acting she'll be doing will be very different. From
the
start, though, she's already conditioned herself to what awaits her.
"I expect show biz to be a long trip," she says.
"People think that being an actress
is very easy, that just because you're in the business, you're assured success.
But I really have to work my way to the top and being accepted by the masa."
She's already set her sights on success so the only thing she can do is work
hard.
But Carla doesn't let her career get in the way
of school. She's on her fourth
year at the DLC and set to graduate next year. She's contemplating
whether she'll be taking up Liberal Arts or Architecture. And if her dedication
to DLC is something to gauge her by, she won't be lacking in drive when it
comes to her show biz career. Plus, her family is always there by her side.
"They're very, very supportive in everything I do," she says. "My dad
especially gets excited whenever he sees me featured in a publication. He
buys anything I'm in and even if he has a meeting, he's going to read it. He's
very
proud of me."
<< Previous
| Features |
Next >>
|