“MOTHERHOOD has taught me to focus on the things that really matter.”
Being mother to two-year-old Alejandro has taught Denise Laurel what unadulterated and unconditional love is. This, she said, helped her become an effective actress and inspired her to work even harder.
“Love is at the core of just about every story, be it fantasy or drama. Now I know I can take on anything,” Denise, who’s playing her first mother role in the drama series “Annaliza,” told the Inquirer in a recent interview.
“I want to show people that you can throw anything at me and I’ll make sure to give my best,” Denise said, adding that she hoped to land roles in which she could utilize her singing talent and experience in martial arts.
Wonderful
The 25-year-old said that assuming the character of Isabel, the titular character’s mom, was a wonderful learning experience, especially since she’s raising her son as a single parent. Denise and her Italian-American boyfriend have been separated for over a year.
Asked if being a mother made her wary of accepting provocative roles, Denise said she had always made a conscious effort—even prior to having a baby—to take only projects that her strict family wouldn’t have any qualms watching.
Denise pointed out: “Not only have I done nothing I would be ashamed of, I make sure I’m proud of everything I do.”
She’s cautious when doing intimate scenes, too, she added. “I don’t want to show my cleavage or my back just for the sake of showing it. I make sure the scenes are necessary and tastefully done.”
For her, being sexy doesn’t necessarily mean shedding clothes. “It doesn’t have to be literal—it’s more about the essence of the scene and how I interpret it,” she said.
At the end of the day, Denise believes that the shows or roles she does should make her son proud of her when he grows up. “I don’t want other kids to pick on my son because of what I did,” she said.
Priorities
More than anything else, Denise stressed that having a child set her priorities straight. She rarely goes out these days and prefers to stay home and spend time with Alejandro.
“I had a gimik phase when I was a teenager but I’m over it now. I just occasionally hang out in other friends’ homes, have barbecue parties with other moms or do sports,” she said.
“Motherhood has taught me to focus on the things that really matter,” she reiterated. “Sometimes I wish I had this or that, but one look at my son and it goes away.”