Actress and filmmaker Bela Padilla candidly addressed online comments questioning her choice of projects, particularly her “trademark” of taking on romantic-drama films and roles.
In an interview with Boy Abunda, Bela explained why she recently responded to a netizen who pointed out that she seemed to be doing the same genre repeatedly.
“The reason I engaged with this person specifically is, I can’t always engage with people praising me. That’s too self-serving. Hindi ko pwedeng replayan lahat ng tao na sinasabi 'ang galing galing mo,' 'ang ganda ng pelikula mo,' 'sana may movie kayo ulit ni JC.' I can’t keep only parang replying to those people, I have to listen to constructive criticism also,” Bela explained.
The actress noted that listening to comments about her projects and skills also helped her reflect and navigate her career.
“I value my career and my job so much, so if somebody says na I feel like (you’re) doing the same genres or the same roles, I have to listen. I have to take note na, ‘Oo nga no baka yung last three movies ko pare-parehas yung genre.’ I want feedback like this kasi I want to stay in this industry long,” she added.
For Bela, she wanted to improve more to leave a good legacy on her career as an actress.
“I worked so hard, I didn’t give up 19 years of my life for this career to mean nothing. I wanna have a legacy, Tito boy, like the same way I’m sure you’re doing and all the people I look up to are doing. So, if somebody says something like this, I will treat it with respect and so I engaged I had a full conversation,” she expressed.
Bela has become known for films that resonate deeply with audiences with stories that are relatable and, at times, emotionally heavy. The pattern has earned her the playful moniker “Bela ‘Mapanakit’ Padilla.”
“Okay naman sa’kin (to be called the nickname) Tito Boy kasi feeling ko yung movies ko ay very cathartic, mapanakit sa umpisa, pero lumalabas sila, nagkwe-kwentuhan sila may discussion,” she said.
Bela shared that she personally saw and read discussions from netizens about the roles and stories she worked on.
“Minsan nga nakikita ko sa TikTok, may essay, parang thesis defense, pinag-uusapan po nila lagi yung mga pelikula na, eto yung naramdaman ko na parang ‘Bella went through this because she need growth’ mga ganoon, so I’m happy, because people think and that’s what movies are for, that’s what artists are for,” she added.
READ: Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino to reunite on the big screen in 'A Special Memory'
Bela now stars alongside Carlo Aquino in the upcoming film A Special Memory, which opens in cinemas on March 11. Addressing observations that it appears to follow a similar emotional tone as her previous works, Bela said it was purely coincidental.
“Nagkakataon po pero itong bago naming movie yung A Special Memory, device po kasi yung ulan sa character ko, kasi I have early onset Alzheimer's, so I love how the script is written. It’s so brilliant. Ayan yang eksenang yan sa ulan po, Tito Boy, na isinulat po ng national artist natin sir Ricky Lee and directed by Jerry Sineneng. They created the film in a way na, because hindi s’ya makaalala, kailangan mabuhay yung ibang senses niya, yung pang amoy niya, yung pakiramdam ng kamay, and ulan, you know, is such a beautiful feeling, when it touches your skin, yung tunog ng ulan sa bubong, yung amoy ng alimuong,” she explained.