GMA-7 actress Athena Madrid has her eyes set on the Miss World Philippines crown.
The 20-year-old Kapuso star revealed her plans to join the beauty pageant in an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) last October 27, 2022.
Knowing enough it will not be easy, Athena expressed her hope to begin pageant training after the lock-in taping of her new Kapuso series Unica Hija.
She told PEP.ph, "Ayun yung nilu-look forward ko in the coming months. Hopefully, after this Unica Hija taping, mag-start na ako ng training for Miss World.
"Training lang muna, kasi feeling ko marami pa akong dapat pag-aralan, marami pa akong dapat ma-experience.
"Kasi I’m very young pa rin naman para sumali, and feeling ko hindi pa ako ready."
PEP.ph interviewed Athena at the Sanctuary in Makati City during the launch of the clothing brand Human's latest collection in collaboration with Netflix's Stranger Things.
To become a beauty queen, Athena said she has to work on her communication skills.
"Ang daming nagsasabi rin sa akin na kapag sumali ka ng Miss World, kailangan magaling ka rin magsalita. E ,dun ako hirap, e!
"Kaya sabi ko talaga kailangan kong mag-aral nang mabuti and magtraining nang mabuti...
"So kailangan ko pang mag-aral nang mabuti, nang tamang pag-rampa, nang tamang pag-sagot."
Athena also named the beauty queens who have inspired her to join a beauty pageant—counting among her idols the reigning Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi and Miss Universe winners Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray.
She said the former Miss Universe Philippines titleholder Rabiya Mateo, also a Kapuso, has been encouraging her to join beauty contests.
RURU'S ADVICE
Athena admitted being sensive about criticisms, recalling the advice of her brother Ruru Madrid at the time when she thought of quitting showbiz.
The StarStruck VII finalist said, "Lagi kasi ako sinasabihan ni Kuya. Actually, dumating ako sa point na parang ayoko na.
"Kasi ayun nga, hindi ako sanay sa ganitong setup, sa buhay showbiz.
"Ako kasi very sensitive. Every time nakakakakita ako ng bad feedback about me or my brother, nasasaktan ako agad.
"So hindi ko kaya yung gingawa ni kuya na parang, ‘Hayaan mo lang.’
"But then, ayun, lagi naman siyang nandiyan para sabihan ako, i-guide ako sa mga dapat gawin.
"And sabi niya lang sa akin, huwag akong susuko hangga’t hindi ko naabot yung pangarap ko. Meron pa akong dapat patunayan."
Vowing not to let down those who have supported her through the years, Athena promised to do her best whether in showbiz or in pageantry.
"And ayun, ang dami rin kasing sumusuporta sa akin, yun na yung mga Rurunatics. Halos lahat ng sumusuporta sa akin, fans din ni kuya.
"So, ayoko rin silang biguin. And, of course, my family, gusto ko rin silang ma-proud."
UNICA HIJA
For now, Athena is focused on her upcoming Kapuso afternoon series Unica Hija
In this series, Athena is Aica, one of the antagonists of double characters Hope and Bianca to be played by Kate Valdez.
Athena said about her daring role, "Kontrabida ulit ako dito, but then may konting twist kasi first time kong magiging feeling sexy.
"Magiging pa-sexy ako dito. Ako lang, actually, yung gagawa ng pa-sexy dito sa Unica Hija kasi yung iba wholesome, e.
"Si Faith Da Silva, kilala rin natin bilang sobrang sexy na actress, pero wholesome siya dito.
"Kontrabida siya na mahirap. Ako, kontrabida na mayaman na magiging pa-sexy."
The first time Athena played villainess was in the prime-time series To Have and To Hold in her role as Grace.
The Kapuso actress said she never minded being cast as the bad girl, "Sobrang trust ko kasi talaga sa management ko, yung GMA.
"Of course, yung manager ko, si Ms. Jan, yung handler ko si Kuya Robert, si Ms. Joy [Marcelo].
"Kasi feeling ko nakikita naman nila kung ano yung bagay sa akin, kung ano yung nararapat sa akin.
"And nakikita ko rin, if ever, na magpunta ako sa mga pa-tweetums, parang hindi na rin talaga bagay kasi yung itsura ko, mature [for my age].
"Ayun, nagpo-pose na rin naman ako ng pa-sexy sa Instagram, so why not? Open naman ako, kung anong ibigay nila sa akin, iga-grab ko yun siyempre."
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