JUDY  ANN  SANTOS:  THE  SWEET  TASTE  OF  SUCCESS
 

MANILA, APRIL 18, 2008 (STAR) PEOPLE ASIA - By Fatima Parel - It was touch and go for a while, trying to schedule actress Judy Ann Santos for a cover feature on People Asia magazine. Though there’s no arguing that as one of the country’s most sought after actresses, virtually every Filipino knows who she is. Still, one didn’t quite know what to expect. Thus, it was rather a pleasant surprise that she could be very candid, talking about her dreams for her family, her vision for her business, her plans for the future, and what people expect of her.

The pictorial itself, with top photographer Jun de Leon behind the lens, turned out to be a fun shoot. Believe it or not, Judy Ann’s photo on the cover was the first shot of the day. Impressive.

Counting by the milestones that she has already surpassed – winning acting awards from prestigious award-giving bodies, having been part of more than 50 films, starring in more than a dozen television series – Judy Ann can lay claim to one of the most successful entertainment careers in local tinsel town. But for the 29-year-old, it’s still not enough.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It’s almost every performer’s wish to be able to portray that one, perfect role. Judy Ann, for her part, is no exception. During the early part of her more than 20-year career in showbiz, she has had no say when it came to picking her roles.

“I really had no choice,” she confirms. “Someone will just tell me ‘You have a shooting tomorrow,’ to which I’ll ask what kind of movie, who’ll be my co-stars, when will I get the script? ‘You’ll get the script tomorrow,’ would be the answer I’ll get. I endured that for many years because I knew that I had to work hard for whatever goal that I wanted. I just figuratively closed my eyes and did those roles but deep inside, I was also praying really hard that one day, I could earn their respect.”

By going with the flow, Judy Ann earned more than everyone’s respect in the industry; she also flourished and became a favorite topic in every household as millions of television and movie viewers came to love her regardless of the role she played.

On television, her first memorable role was that of Ula, a character almost similar to that of Walt Disney’s Mowgli in the Jungle Book. Then there’s Mara, in the noontime series Mara Clara, essaying the first of the many “martyred” characters that she would take on. Then there’s Esperanza for the series with the same title. In Krystala, she played a heroine while in Ysabella – her recently-concluded series of the same title – Judy Ann’s talent for cooking was incorporated into her role.

Eventually with this “respect” came the offer of good roles, one of which was in the movie Sabel where she played a more complex character.

“I wanted to do the role because I wanted to be known as an artist,” says Judy Ann. Having the combined forces of Joel Lamangan as director and Ricky Lee as scriptwriter also made the movie a cut above the rest. “After reading the script, I felt that I can do the role, I can do the character. It just so happened that the role gave me an Urian (award for best actress). And that’s where I found out that the saying ‘trust your instinct’ is quite true.”

Taking care of business

And Judy did trust her instinct, not only in the roles that she accepted but also in running her own business.

It’s a well-known fact that Judy Ann and her family are running Kaffe Carabana, a bar and restaurant that has done quite well. And though her first venture into business was not as successful, the young entrepreneur did not let the experience dampen her spirit.

“At that time, I was really driven to have a business because I had this feeling that this industry can be such a traitor. You get fat and no one will hire you. Get married and you’ll be lucky if you’ll get picked for a role. And this is one of the reasons why I took up culinary studies, aside from my passion for it. It’s also because I want to ensure my future and my daughter’s future and the other children that I might have. I’m also preparing myself because in reality, I know that this is not a stable job. I have not finished college so unless I’m my own employer, I’m my own boss, I think I’ll have a hard time finding another job. But I believe that if others can do it, I can do it also. I just need to study really hard so that I can be proud of myself,” the actress says with refreshing candor.

Thanks to the success of her business, Judy Ann was finally able to call her mommy Carol – working at that time abroad – to come back home. “I told her ‘You can stay here with us now. You’re done working in other countries. It’s our turn to take care of you.’ And since she wanted to handle a business, I gave her Kaffe Carabana.”

Though others wouldn’t have had the time and energy, Judy Ann still managed to take up culinary studies, and is already thinking of another business venture.

“We’re thinking of another business in the future with a much better location and concept. I might open another business after I graduate from my culinary studies abroad. When I can already stand on my own as the head chef. Though I don’t want a fine dining restaurant because that’s too expensive to maintain. It’s not low-end either but I’ll make sure that it’s gonna be convenient, accessible and the food has reasonable price for everybody else to enjoy,” envisions Judy Ann.

Gastronomic dreams

A fan of famed British chef Jamie Oliver, Judy Ann also dreams of traveling and experiencing the different tastes and culture in other parts of the world. “I also want to make a difference,” she enthusiastically adds. “I would also like to teach housewives some culinary skills or even the bachelors out there who want to cook for their dates. I just want something fun to happen with my culinary skills.”

Busy mommy

Though with all the things that she wants to accomplish – as a chef, a businesswoman, an actress, a traveler, and hopefully soon, as a student – there is one role that Judy Ann doesn’t often show to the public. That is, as a mom to her adopted daughter Yohan. For Judy Ann – who is already used to having her privacy invaded – it’s quite a different matter altogether when it comes to keeping the privacy of her three-year-old daughter. Yet as she talks about the topic of settling down, Judy Ann again surprises us as she opens up about her daughter, thus giving us a glimpse into her role as a mom.

“You know what, before, I told myself I wanted to get married and have a baby at the age of 26. It didn’t happen. So I said, ‘okay at 28.’ Again, nothing happened. And even before Ryan came into my life, I’ve already decided on 30. With or without a father, I’ll have a baby. But now that my blessing is finally here and I have a daughter already, I feel like it’s a sign that I don’t have to rush into anything. Yes, Ryan and I do talk about marriage but we don’t have a definite timetable on when we’ll get married. Maybe because we’re still enjoying each other’s company. When we’re together, we’re like two high school teens, watching movies, eating ice cream, going on a motorcycle ride, or just traveling. Maybe two years from now. Because right now, I have to think about my daughter’s future. She’ such a smart child and it saddens me when people ask her ‘Where’s your mom?’ and she answers ‘Working’!” the actress discloses.

Yet with all her success, Judy Ann knows that at the end of the day, the most important thing in her life is family.

“I’m just really so lucky that I have my family with me. I have my daughter with me, Ryan’s with me. And my friends are there for me always,” she smiles.