Ria’s beauty-pageant option

Ria Atayde

He wants me to maximize my intelligence,” said actress Ria Atayde, when asked what advice her elder brother, actor Arjo Atayde, would often give her in relation to working in show business.

Ria recently celebrated her 25th birthday with a Cuban-themed party at a hotel in Manila. At the event, her brother was asked to make a speech.

“Arjo isn’t the emotional type. We don’t talk much about this stuff, but in his birthday message, he said he didn’t think this was the ideal career for me, that I was too smart to be here,” Ria told the Inquirer. “But he also said he saw that I was loving what I was doing (as an actress), so he’d support me.”

The daughter of character actress Sylvia Sanchez was first seen on television in the 2015 drama series, “Ningning.” She is currently in the teleserye, “My Dear Heart.”

On the other hand, her dad, businessman Art Atayde, reportedly wants Ria to join a beauty pageant because she has the height and brains for it. When asked to confirm this, Ria’s tone was noncommittal.

“Katawan na lang ang problema (Not being fit is the only problem),” she quipped. “To be honest, acting is my focus right now. When August or September (pageant period) comes and I’m ready, I’ll go. If not, then it means I’ve already found (in acting) what I’m supposed to pursue as a career. ”

The actress said she was pleased about getting good feedback from viewers for portraying Dr. Gia Lana in “My Dear Heart,” which also features Zanjoe Marudo, Bela Padilla and child actress Nayomi “Heart” Ramos.

“I love her confidence,” Ria said of her character. “Like me, she’s just starting out as a doctor and is under the shadow of her successful mom, Dr. Margaret (Coney Reyes). She’s very loving and only wants what’s good for the people she cares about. I relate to her in that sense.”