Life after ‘Clara’

JULIA Montes: The next Claudine?

Julia Montes was initially hesitant to accept the role of Clara, spiteful tormentor of Mara in the recently concluded ABS-CBN remake of the soap opera “Mara Clara.”

Julia, 16, admitted she was afraid of being typecast as a contravida. Now she hopes for more challenging roles and is eyeing the type of characters previously played by Claudine Barretto.

“I remember watching ‘Anak’ on TV,” Julia said. In the 2000 movie, Claudine portrayed prodigal daughter to Vilma Santos. “I’d like to play a similar character, so I’d be pushed to do something different.”

How about Claudine’s mermaid role in the remake of “Marina”? She quipped, “I can swim!”

Julia’s “Mara Clara” rival Kathryn Bernardo is being groomed as the next Judy Ann Santos. But like Kathryn, Julia wants to be her own person, thank you. “When we met Judy Ann (the original Mara) and Gladys (Reyes, the original Clara), they advised us to be ourselves,” Julia recalled.

Before “Mara Clara” beckoned, Julia, a graduate of the kiddie show, “Going Bulilit,” dreamt of becoming a flight stewardess or a chef. Now show biz fame is within reach (she and Kathryn are sought-after cover girls of mags like Star Studio and Chalk) but she still wants to continue her studies.

“I hope to enroll in Angelicum College and take up either tourism or culinary arts,” said Julia. She is working hard, balancing show biz and studies, for her family—grandmother, mother and siblings.

She has always candidly discussed her modest background and never hid the fact that her mom is hearing impaired. “She’s deaf and mute,” Julia clarified. “I’ve had to learn sign language.”

Mom was an avid fan of “Mara Clara,” the proud daughter recounted. “She followed the story by simply observing,” Julia related. “She felt the emotions. When she didn’t understand anything, she asked me and I explained it to her.”

Pleasing her mother in this simple way is something that Julia considers a “major achievement.”

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