Image: Instagram/@camilleprats, screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network
Camille Prats looked back at her experience of being a child star, saying she does not feel her childhood was “stolen” because she enjoyed every part of it.
In an interview with King of Talk Boy Abunda, Prats said she grew up hearing older people say they were sorry for her because she started working in show business at a young age.
“‘Kawawa ka naman, ang bata-bata mo pa nagta-trabaho ka na. Hindi normal ang childhood mo’ (I feel sorry for you. You’re still young yet you are already working. Your childhood is not normal)—that’s what I would normally hear from people. But to be honest, I had a very unique childhood,” she said.
“Hindi ko man naranasan kung ano man ‘yung ‘normal’ na childhood para sa karamihan, I would like to think na ‘yung buhay na binigay sa akin ng Diyos is the life that He really wanted for me,” she continued. “Hindi siya kapareho ng iba, but I had so much fun.”
(I may not have experienced what others consider as “normal” childhood, [but] I would like to think that the life God gave me is the life that He really wanted for me.)
Prats noted that she loved what she was doing and that she is full of gratitude for being in show business for 30 long years now. She also underscored how she was able to meet lots of friends while learning and enjoying her work.
“I really think it’s a blessing. ‘Yung buhay ko na ‘yon nung kabataan ko (My life when I was young), remembering all the projects that I did, those were happy memories for me,” she stated. “I had the privilege to actually experience, [to have] hands-on experience of what real work is like at the age of 7.”
Prats and Abunda then talked about a recent incident in which actress Maine Mendoza reminded an “Eat Bulaga” contestant to work harder for the betterment of their family, and to not rely on their 7-year-old child to do such responsibility.
Relating it to her experience, Prats declared she was blessed that her parents encouraged her in her dream to be an actress, and that they did not pass on to her the responsibility of supporting their family financially.
“As a child star, ginusto ko ‘yon e,” she said. “Pero ‘yung inasa sa ‘yo ‘yung kabuhayan ng pamilya, it was not what happened with our family.” (Being a child star is what I wanted. But bearing the responsibility of supporting our family financially back then was not what happened with our family.)
During the interview, Prats revealed that she was also once a “rebelde” to her parents, but clarified that the most disobedient thing she did was getting a navel piercing.
Prats has starred in numerous shows since she was a kid, including “Sarah… Ang Munting Prinsesa,” “Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure” and “Hiling.” She is now married to VJ Yambao, and has three children, namely Nathan (Prats’ son with her late first husband Anthony Linsangan), Nala and Nolan. /ra