Laura Lehmann on being a beauty queen, a cager’s gf, actress

Laura Lehmann

Marriage can sometimes turn out to be just a mirage. Been there, felt that. My marriage has been annulled many heartaches ago. That’s why I can totally relate to Regal Entertainment’s “The Annulment,” which opens on Nov 13. For sure, couples with the urge to purge will learn a thing or two from the movie topbilled by Lovi Poe and Joem Bascon.

Miss World Philippines 2017 Laura Lehmann is also part of the cast. I met her at the victory party of PBA’s San Miguel Beermen. Her boyfriend Von Pessumal happens to be one of the star players of SMB. Laura is indeed a refreshing addition to the roster of beauty queens-turned-actresses.

Here’s my chat with Laura:

Any “culture shock” you experienced when you joined show biz? As an actress, I need to deglamorize myself to portray a character. This was something I was not used to at first because, as a beauty queen, I am always so poised in front of the camera. So, I needed to learn how to let loose.

I was also culture-shocked with the schedule of actors. I don’t think many people outside the industry understand that they work on crazy timetables till dawn, with hardly any sleep. Funnily enough, delving into show biz also taught me the art of sleeping anywhere—on a chair, in broad daylight, in the car—as long as I log in those extra hours of sleep.

If and when you get married and it gets rocky, would you file for annulment? Annulment for me would be the last resort. Filming this movie, I learned that it’s such a complicated process with so much finality that adds stress to both parties. It erases a trace of the marriage and symbolically all the memories that come with it.

So, of course I would try to avoid it at all costs and remember why we were married in the first place. I understand however that in some cases it is necessary, and it can lead couples to a happier place where they can move on with their lives and get remarried—and because of that, I also respect the process.

What did you learn from your movie? I learned that getting an annulment is such a complex, painful and ugly process. It made me realize that before getting married, I should really be sure about my partner so that I won’t have to file for an annulment (laughs).

What makes your relationship with Von work? It works because we are best friends. We tell each other everything, from the things in our past, things we are ashamed about, things we laugh about, and things that we secretly dream of.

Do you and Von have marriage plans already? We’ve been together for more than five years, so it would be a little strange to say that we have never discussed it. We talk about it often, but then again, we are such overly private people.

What’s the best and toughest part of being the girlfriend of a PBA play er? The best part is watching the exciting ball games live at the court side. The toughest part is our erratic schedules, so it’s hard to plan vacations or dates.

How vain are you? As a beauty queen representing the country, I think it is natural to always want to look my best. As an actress, I also want to look my best because I’m often pressured by the “beauty queen” title.

But as I get older, I care less about those things. As long as I am happy and fulfilled, that’s more important than any sense of vanity. On my “off days,” I just wear simple clothes, and my manager would reprimand me for not looking presentable (laughs).

What’s your advice to beauty pageant contestants on how to handle the nerve-wracking Q&A portion? Make sure you know yourself fully. Because if you know your uncompromisable values, you will always have a strong opinion on whatever question is thrown at you. Express your views unapologetically, but don’t offend others while doing so. Get over your stage fright. Answer as if you were talking to a close friend.

What do you consider was your biggest accomplishment as Miss World Philippines 2017? I was clueless about pageants. I was a total geek, studying to become a doctor and was into sports. I never dreamed of being a beauty queen or an actress, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t know I could. I took a leap of faith into it.

I would like to hope that my accomplishment convinced others to do the same in life. You don’t have to fit the mold of whatever it is that you choose to do. As long as you’re passionate about something, and you dedicate the work and time to it, then you can achieve it no matter how far from your reality it may seem. Cheesy but true.

If you will be a judge in Miss World Philippines, what question would you ask the finalists? What makes you different from the rest to deserve to become Miss World Philippines?