Inah de Belen
Because she’s her own worst critic, Inah de Belen admitted that she’s not very fond of watching herself onscreen.
“I don’t usually do it because it feels weird to see myself act … It makes me cringe!” she told the Inquirer in an interview for the coming horror movie “Maledicto,” which opens on May 1. “I can also be very critical of myself.”
As if watching her scenes alone weren’t awkward enough, her family would, at times, join her.
“I avoid being in the same room with them when my scenes are on. One time, I was trying to see how I did in a series I was in, and my mother (Janice de Belen) suddenly entered my room. I had to pretend I was asleep, so I wouldn’t see and hear her reaction!” she recalled.
But Inah knows that she has to get used to it if she were to become a good actress.
“Of course, I have to look at myself to actually see the things I need to work on and improve. I always give my best in what I do, but I know there’s always room for improvement,” pointed out the 27-year-old Kapuso star, who feels pressure from being in a family of celebrities.
Inah is one of Janice’s four children with John Estrada. Gelli de Belen—who’s married to Ariel Rivera—is her aunt. “They’re very good in what they do and have been in this industry for such a long time,” she said. “That’s why it feels great when I receive a text from them, telling me I did well in a scene I did.”
And while she doesn’t get specific acting tips from her family, they make sure to remind Inah about the kind of attitude or mindset she needs to have to be successful in show biz.
“They don’t give me acting advice; they tell me it’s up to me to learn. Sariling diskarte ko raw ’yun,” Inah related. “But my family, especially my mom, always tells me to keep my feet on the ground; to remember where I came from; and to focus on your job, because people will always have something to say, anyway.”
She has done television work with Janice a few times, but nothing heavy or extensive. Does she see herself doing a daily series with her mom in the future?
“I don’t think I’m ready at the moment … We did an episode of ‘Dear Uge’ two years ago. It was light; no crying or whatnot. But it was still hard,” she said.
“May ilang factor pa rin talaga. I have also worked with Tita Gelli in the past and that was challenging, too. What more with my parents?” the Kapuso star added. “But I hope we could do one someday.”
Curiously, the opposite is true, working with her boyfriend, fellow GMA 7 star Jake Vargas. “I’m proud because we have a good dynamic on the set—nagbibigayan kami. We help each other,” said Inah, whose last acting project with Jake was “Ika-5 Utos.” “But I hope we get more roles that go beyond cutesy.”
Produced by Fox Philippines and Cignal, “Maledicto” has Inah playing an exorcism victim—her biggest and toughest role yet in a movie.
“I have always wanted to do a horror film … one of my dreams entering show biz. My mom used to do a lot of horror flicks, so I feel blessed and overwhelmed with the kind of role I got. I’m excited. I’m nervous,” Inah said.
“I want to step out of my comfort zone and prove myself without asking help from my family.”