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Juliana Palermo:
Beauty with
a Simple Heart |
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IN
the glitzy
and
glamorous
world of
show
business,
where
“super,”
“mega,”
“super nova”
and
“diamond”
are
affixation
to names to
emphasize
greatness
not
necessarily
of talent,
there is not
much room
for anything
simple.
Everything
seems huge,
exaggerated,
overly done,
and bizarre
while every
action is
executed
with precise
drama, pomp
and
pageantry.
The mere
oddity of
news churned
out from
showbiz has
become a
staple not
only of the
tabloid but
in
broadsheets
as well. In
its midst,
however,
silently
lurks a girl
so simple,
true and
simply
beautiful
inside and
out. She’s a
rare breed
in the crazy
world she is
slowly
adapting to.
Juliana
Palermo is
not your
typical
showbiz
girl. She is
beautiful,
okay fine,
with natural
body to die
for, not
sculpted by
a cosmetic
surgeon. She
has a
refreshingly
pretty face
and a
complexion
that is in
every angle
a Filipina.
In the heart
of this lady
is a typical
girl with
simple
dreams. She
lives a
simple
lifestyle,
loves simple
food, shuns
showbizy
nuances, and
conducts
herself a
normal way.
In her newly
apartment in
Quezon City,
she is a
doting ate
to a 17-year
old boy with
a special
need. Here,
they cuddle
and
playfully
tickle each
other, or
simply
listen to
music when
she has no
showbiz
commitment.
“I am not
fond of
attending
showbiz
parties. I
rather stay
home and be
with my
brother,”
she admits.
Even her
closest
friends are
not the
showbiz
people. “I
have very
few friends.
I am not the
type of
person who
have so many
friends
everywhere
they go.”
For Juliana,
being in
showbiz is
just work –
her means of
livelihood
in order to
support her
younger
blind and
autistic
brother.
“The people
I work with
are not the
people I
hang around.
Every after
work, I just
go home and
rest.”
Silver
platter
Juliana says
she didn’t
imagine that
she would be
in show
business.
“It just
landed on my
lap, handed
to me in a
silverplatter,”
she said.
Like many
big stars,
her entry in
show
business
came via a
daring movie
“www.xxx.com,”
megged by no
less than
the award
winning
Tikoy
Aguiluz. The
stakes went
high when a
year later
she was
barred from
joining the
Binibining
Pilipinas
after
admitting to
being a sexy
star.
Reports say
the pageant
organizers
were wary
that her
image as a
sexy star
would
tarnish the
good
reputation
of the
pageant. Her
latest
movie,
Panaghoy Sa
Suba,
established
her name as
a serious
dramatic
actress and
gave her
acting
nominations.
“I want to
stay long in
this
business.
I’m starting
to like it
despite the
intrigues
that have
come my
way.” While
aspiring
startlets
and the
has-been
throw mud at
each other
in order to
generate
controversy
that will
put them on
the
limelight,
Juliana has
been very
careful not
to be
dragged into
a mess.
But she can
only do so
much.
Controversies
and scandals
are inherent
in the
business and
there is
probably no
way to avoid
it. Last
year, she
had to deal
with a
problem with
her manager
that deemed
her jobless
for four
months. The
problem was
amicably
settled and
she has now
a new
manager.
Early this
year, she
hit the
limelight
again when a
retired bold
actress
accused her
of cavorting
with the
accuser’s
husband when
they shot a
movie. There
was not a
single
evidence
produced and
the issue
died a
natural
death – so
typical of
the local
entertainment
scene.
Comedian
and writer
While the
movie
industry in
the
doldrums,
Juliana is
making her
presence
felt in
television,
print and
live
appearances.
She has a
regular
weekly show
Ok Fine at
ABS-CBN
aired every
Monday and
guestings in
some of the
station’s
sitcoms,
writes a
regular
column in
Philippine
Star every
Sunday, and
does hosting
in corporate
shows on the
side.
“I’m happy
with
everything
that has
been offered
to me,” she
says of her
career. “I’m
happy that I
get to
entertain
people.”
Being a
comedian is
something
new to her,
as she
started as a
sexy actress
and later
shifted to
drama. “It’s
one aspect
that I
recently
discovered
in me. I
didn’t know
that I can
make people
laugh,” she
admits.
She is also
comfortable
doing
hosting job
in corporate
affairs. “I
really,
really love
to host.
What I want
to strive
right now is
to get more
hosting
jobs,” she
says. But
one thing
Juliana is
passionate
about is her
writings.
Aside from
her weekly
column and
previously
in FHM, she
writes
poetries
during her
free time.
Some of
these poems
have been
printed in
the papers.
She also
dreams to
become a
singer some
day. “Some
day I hope I
can become a
singer, or
write songs
for singers.
I want to
turn my
poetries
into songs
for some
singers,”
she says.
“But for the
meantime, I
want to
establish my
name as an
actress.”
Surviving
the storm
If it is
true that
anything
that cannot
kill you can
make you
stronger,
Juliana
believes the
intrigues
she has been
into had
already made
her a
stronger
person. She
may not be
the type of
person to
provoke a
fight, but
she is also
ready to
retaliate
when
provoked. In
fact, she
believes she
has enough
strength and
confidence
that will
make her
last in this
business.
“My biggest
asset, I
guess, is my
confidence.
I have the
strength to
face
criticisms,
embrace
problems and
look at
things in a
positive
light. There
are many
actresses
who are
talented,
smart and
beautiful
but some of
them do not
enough
courage,”
she
observes.
“I’m an
optimistic
person. When
some things
go wrong, I
just tell
myself that
these happen
for a
reason. I
may freak
out at
first, but I
calm down
easily.”
She said
talking with
senior stars
she has
worked with
has given
her a better
view of show
business and
was able to
draw out
tips on how
to stay long
in the
business. “I
have my
highest
admiration
for Gloria
Romero and
Eddie Garcia
because they
have
survived all
this time.
Naloka akong
malaman kung
gaano na
sila katagal
bilang
artista,”
she said. “I
learned from
them that
the secret
to stay long
in this
business is
to have the
right
attitude,”
she admits.
The right
attitude,
she adds,
includes
being
professional,
having
humility and
taking
responsibility
with one’s
actions.
“I’m proud
to say that
I am a
responsible
person.
Considering
that I have
no relatives
here in
Manila, I am
in control
with my life
and I’m only
19. I’m
doing quite
well. I’m
not, like
you know,
fu__ing up
or
anything.”
Taking
responsibility
While other
teenagers
her age,
especially
fellow
actresses,
are becoming
fixtures in
classy bars
partying
until the
morning,
Juliana says
she prefer
to stay home
and be with
his younger
brother. She
personally
took her
brother from
Davao to
take care of
him. “All my
other
siblings
have already
their own
jobs, their
own
families. In
our case,
kaming
dalawa
nalang kasi.”
Understandably,
Juliana
gives her
brother all
the
attention
the boy
needs. While
others may
feel ashamed
to show off
a sibling
with special
needs,
Juliana is
proud to
tell
everyone who
asks how his
brother is
doing well.
“Hindi
kasalanan ng
kapatid ko
na naging
abnormal
siya, at
hindi
kasalanan ng
parents ko
na nagkaanak
sila ng
abnormal. So
respetuhin
nalang nila
yun. If they
having
nothing nice
to say, they
might as
well shut
the fuck
up,” she
said. “Some
people may
tend to look
down on
special
children,
pero subukan
nila ako.
Basta sa
kapatid ko,
walang
maaaring
manakit
diyan,” she
added.
How her
suitors
interact
with his
brother is
one big
consideration
before she
enters into
a
relationship.
“They should
get used to
him before
they could
spend time
with me.
Hindi puwede
yung magdi-
emand na
iwanan ko
muna ang
brother ko
so we could
spend time
together,”
she bares.
“If may
nanliligaw
sa akin, I
make sure
that they
also spend
time with my
brother.”
So far, she
has found a
man who
dotes his
brother the
way she
does. “I
have one
admirer and
I’m very
happy with
him. My
brother
likes him
and he also
takes care
of my
brother. So
I feel lucky
on that
aspect.”
Juliana’s
simplicity
extends to
her favorite
food. While
admitting
that she
eats a lot,
she likes
simple
Filipino
dishes
mostly of
fish and
vegetables.
“I am not a
meat
person.” Her
favorite
food?
“Ginisang
baguio beans
cooked in
oyster
sauce. Naku,
I can eat
that three
times a day.
I also like
ampalaya
with egg,
daing na
pusit. I
also like
boiled okra
na sinawsaw
sa bagoong
with kamatis.”
The real
Juliana
Born as Alvi
July Juanico
in Davao
City,
Juliana was
raised in
the United
States – in
Hollywood,
to be exact.
“Wala akong
kaalam- lam
na the big
stars were
living
there, kasi
pakialam ko
ba. I know
this is
surreal, but
I usually
stay in one
place and I
don’t know
what is
happening
all around
me. Hindi
ako matanong
na tao. I
don’t feel
the need to
know
everything
that is
going on
around me.”
Fresh from
winning the
Mutya ng
Davao crown
in the Miss
Kadayawan
pageant in
Davao City,
Juliana came
to Manila in
2002 hoping
that she
could join
the
Binibining
Pilipinas.
But while
waiting for
the pageant
to process
applications,
she was
offered the
lead role in
the movie “www.xxx.com.”
Looking bad,
there is no
longer a
trace of
bitterness
for the
snobbery of
the pageant
organizer.
Instead, it
inspires her
to strive
harder in
show
business. “I
know that if
I remained
focus on my
work, I know
I can be
very
successful
in this
business for
a long time.
I will be
doing more
movies, more
shows, and I
will be
working hard
to be able
to get
another
award. If I
can make
myself
focused, I
know I can
do it.”
She is also
doing
product
endorsements
with Perfect
You Derma
Clinic,
Gold’s Gym
and Bench as
among her
clients.
“Anybody can
do anything
he wants as
long as he
remains
focused.
Gusto kong
umanda na
artista pa
rin ako. I’m
very happy
with my job.
I’m happy to
know that I
can make
other people
happy even
just with my
presence.”
DP |
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