Rose van Ginkel bares the real person behind her sexy image

Rose Van Ginkel

Having spent most of her career doing supporting roles, Rose van Ginkel couldn’t help but wonder if show biz really is for her. And there came a time when she contemplated quitting altogether.

“I became more sensitive and started doubting myself. I would get compliments, but they don’t necessarily translate to growth. There were projects but I wasn’t truly happy. I would ask myself, ‘Do I have anything else to give? Am I capable of more. Will I improve,’” she said in a recent virtual press conference for Viva Films’s sexy-comedy flick, “69+1”.

Seeing her contemporaries make inroads also made her feel like she was lagging behind. “I would look at my batchmates in Viva and think, ‘Ang layo na ng narating nila,’” related Rose, who used to be part of the 2009 band Pop Girls, together with the likes of Nadine Lustre and Shy Carlos.

“I thought about giving up show biz before the pandemic, because I was feeling depressed. Maybe I should take a break, rest or reflect. I felt like the thing I love was no longer healthy for me,” she said. “I’m a tourism graduate so I figured that, maybe, I can pursue being a flight attendant.”

But earlier this year, she landed in a considerable role in the comedy drama “Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Porn Star,” which became a hit on the video streaming platform Vivamax. “Working on that movie, under director Darryl Yap, I felt inspired and motivated once more,” the Dutch-Filipino celebrity said.

“I realized that perhaps it’s all about the right timing. Maybe hindi pa talaga para sa ‘kin dati,” added the 26-year-old, who used to be a competitive swimmer in school, before trying modeling and acting. Prior to her move to Viva Entertainment, she spent two years as a host in “Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman” in the late 2000s.

Fresh from the success of “Paglaki Ko,” Rose took on “69 + 1”—also directed by Darryl Yap—with a much needed confidence boost. “This is the biggest role I have done so far, so there was some pressure. But I was also very excited. I was able to try things I have never done before,” Rose said.

In “69+1,” which premiered on Vivamax last Sept. 3, She plays Patricia, a woman in a seven-year relationship with Ivy (Maui Taylor). In hopes of managing the dreaded seventh-year itch, the lesbian couple let a photographer named Apol into their lives to see if being in a polyamorous relationship can work for them.

“It’s challenging because I had to throw lines I didn’t think I could say in real life. My friends couldn’t believe it either. But still I hope I delivered them authentically,” she said. “This movie is also very relatable. We show how couples can power through the seven-year itch; how they fight for each other,” she said.

Working with Maui and Janno, she said, was a breeze. “Sometimes, we couldn’t help but laugh doing our scenes, because we’re all comfortable with each other. They didn’t make me feel like I was a newbie.”

Because of her sexy image and the roles she plays, some observers assume that that’s how she also is in real life. She’s actually the opposite. And yes, she enjoys showing off some skin on her social media, but that’s just her way of celebrating herself and her body.

“I have always been conscious about my body; I have always wanted to have a nice figure. So now I post photos to reinforce that mind-set in myself. I just post for my own satisfaction. But I’m actually not outgoing. I don’t like going to bars. I’m not fond of partying,” she said.

There are bashers, but she tries not to pay them any attention. “I don’t get baited into engaging with them. I don’t focus on negative stuff; I focus on the good comments. And if you know who you really are, bashers won’t get into you,” she said.

While she doesn’t mind doing sexy comedies, Rose hopes to try other genres moving forward. “I have always been a boyish kid. I love sports and activities that are typically for boys. So given a chance, I would like to do action. That’s my dream,” she said. INQ