Physical appearance no big deal for Alessandra de Rossi

Empoy Marquez (left) and Alessandra de Rossi

A guy’s physical appearance isn’t all that important for singer-actress Alessandra de Rossi.

“My ideal guy is someone who’s kind, smart and God-fearing. His looks are never a factor, because we sleep at night, anyway—and I can always fantasize,” she quipped.

The Inquirer asked her if it was possible for her to fall in love with comedian Empoy Marquez, her costar in the rom-com, “Kita Kita.” She wittily replied: “I’m often attracted to someone who is brainy—so, Empoy, I’m really sorry.”

Shot entirely in Hokkaido, the film, which opens in cinemas today, features Alessandra as a taxi driver and tourist guide in Japan who’s suffering from temporary blindness. She then meets and falls for Empoy.

Recalling her experience spending almost 15 days on the island in the summer last year, she said: “I didn’t like my first trip to Tokyo because there were too many buildings. It was hard to see the sky. No sunrise nor sunset. I didn’t remember to pray to God the entire trip. But, in Hokkaido, I saw God in everything. I guess I’m really a country girl.

“I only slept for three hours every night because of the hectic work schedule. We had to adjust because we were working abroad, and the trip was expensive. But on our fifth day, Empoy and I were already making a lot of mistakes. Our director (Sigrid Andrea Bernardo) opted to take a break for a day to recharge.”

The 33-year-old actress relates to her character because of the way she shows her love for people. “When I love, I really give my all—whether they’re friends or lovers. I’d care so much for a person and would realize only later that he or she was only using me. I’m stupid that way,” she declared. “I don’t easily get angry with someone, but when I do, I tend to ban that person from my life forever.”

Aside from “Kita Kita,” Alessandra said she has been busy with postproduction work for another film and a web series, which she cowrote two years ago. “I’m supposed to direct both projects, but I don’t think I can do that anymore since I will also be appearing as a cast member,” she explained.

The web series is tentatively titled “The Diary of a Thirty Something,” which will also feature her sister, Assunta, and their friends Ana Capri, Karen delos Reyes, Carla Humphries, Meryll Soriano and Andoy Ranay.

“The show is based on my friends’ experiences. It reminds me of ‘Sex in the City,’ but its values are different. The characters in that show are more self-centered, whereas Filipino women are more submissive and conservative,” she said.