Andrea Torres (left) and Derek Ramsay
I hardly miss any episode of GMA 7’s riveting series, “The Better Woman” (weeknights after “The Gift”), whose finale will be on Sept. 27.
Andrea Torres and Derek Ramsay make quite a potent tandem. They’re both oozing with sex appeal. Andrea could pass for the Pinay version of Jennifer Lopez or Eva Mendes. I fondly remember the time I hung out with the Kapuso bombshell in Tipsy Pig.
Back then, she was going through a career crisis. That’s why I am so happy for Andrea now that her time to shine has finally come.
She portrays a dual role as twin sisters. Switching from a demure Maria Clara (Juliet) to a bitchy femme fatale (Julia) is not easy to do. Yet, Andrea manages to pull it off with great panache. The series has transformed her into a better “wow”man onscreen and off.
Here’s my chat with Andrea:
What have you discovered about Derek off-cam? Derek finds joy in the simplest things. Success has not changed him one bit.
What stage is your friendship with Derek in? He’s definitely the closest guy to me right now. I like being with him so much that even if we’re together all the time at work because of our show, “The Better Woman,” I still choose to spend my free days with him.
Is Derek boyfriend material? He is. He gives me this healthy and happy environment where a partnership is strongly felt and, at the same time, encourages me to pursue my personal goals and dreams. He’s the type that I can leave anywhere and I don’t have to worry because the trust is so intact.
We’ve only known each other for a few months, yet he feels familiar. All I ever think about is what I want to do for him next because when you make someone that happy, that person is just so inspired every day to make you feel how grateful she is to have you in her life.
What traits of a man will make you say that he’s the better man? When he pushes you … [so] you don’t feel stagnant. Growth naturally takes place because of the positive effect he has on you.
How has your show made you grow as an actress? We do around 40 sequences a day and a lot of heavy ones so you really have to be quick in your “shifting.” Playing the role of twins is a huge responsibility. Each character should be very clear to you. Yes, it’s double the work and double the exhaustion, but also double the fulfillment.
What do you find hard to understand about men? Hmm. I don’t know. I don’t overthink. I think those differences just make things interesting and exciting.
What’s the best love advice that you follow? Love without limits. I don’t give anything half-baked. I always give it my all.
What’s the craziest thing you did for love? It’s the “you and me against the world” sort of thing.
In what way are you like your characters, Jasmine and Juliet? They always say that my personality is very much a contrast to the image that I have on cam. If you want to have an idea of who that is, I’m very similar to Jasmine. Jasmine is Andrea. Juliet, I’d like to think, is my alter ego—the one I tap when I need to do sexy shoots (laughs). No, seriously, I think I have Juliet’s drive. When I have a goal, I really have laser focus on it.