Maricar Reyes speaks up, lifts veil of mystery

“IT’S best to know who you are,” says Maricar Reyes.

ABS-CBN actress Maricar Reyes rarely grants sit-down interviews—understandably due to the aftermath of one of the most embarrassing video scandals to hit show biz.

Instead of milking the controversy for all it’s worth, Maricar and her handlers have wisely chosen to keep mum. That required commitment and contributed to Maricar’s enigmatic persona.

But for Look magazine’s third anniversary issue (out this week), Maricar gamely granted a one-on-one interview and answered every question with candor.

Asked to single out the best lesson she could pass on to young hopefuls on handling potentially life-altering scandals, she quipped: “It’s best to know who you are… stick to it… and listen to your manager.”

Her veil of mystery was lifted a bit—revealing Maricar’s never-before-seen girlish, giggly side. She’s no hothouse flower, she insisted. “I ate fish balls sold on the streets and commuted around the city, riding the FX and MRT,” she said, recalling her college days as a medicine student.

At the risk of negating the delicate Dresden doll/drama queen image cultivated by her managers, Maricar said that she’s quite ordinary. “I can be shy, but I’m really jolly. If you get to know me better, you’d see that I laugh a lot.”

When she’s not busy with TV tapings and movie shoots, she said that she often hangs out with noncelebrity friends—people she had met long before show biz beckoned.

“My friends have normal jobs,” she said. “They work in offices and call centers. Some are teachers.”

Her nonshow biz pals keep her grounded. “They are not used to seeing me with makeup on. They make fun of me when I’m all dolled up,” said Maricar, who’s now the new San San cosmetics endorser.

With the same friends, she’s supporting Right Start, an after-school advocacy campaign for children.

“It’s education-based,” she said. “To start it off, we had a feeding program. We also introduced music and arts to the kids.”

They launched the project last July in San Juan. “Instead of just playing games or eating junk food, we want to acquaint children with productive after-school activities and healthy meals,” Maricar said.

She really has a soft spot for kids, but credits her friends for doing everything to make the project successful.

Look magazine is published by Hinge Inquirer Publications.