Princess Anne: Anne Curtis

Anne Curtis’ romantic comedy Bakit Lahat ng Gwapo may Boyfriend? (which loosely translates to “Why do all good-looking men have boyfriends?”) continues to make her legions of fans laugh with the movie’s portrayal of relatable — and hilariously awkward — situations. The fun-loving actress was once recognized a PeopleAsia Women of Style and Substance awardee in 2011, and the Filipino-Australian beauty has only gained more admiration and popularity since then. Dubbed as the “Princess of All Media,” get to know Anne better — and find that she’ll find countless ways to charm you — in this feature.

By KAP MACEDA AGUILA

Born in Yarrawonga, a town in the Australian state of Victoria, Anne Ojales Curtis-Smith could have been making a name for herself on the balance beam and uneven bars. “When I was five or seven years old, I wanted to be a gymnast because of Nadia Comaneci (the great Romanian gymnast who made history by being the first to register a perfect score),” shares Anne. “I adored her. My dad had a VHS tape of her and every day after school, it was either that or E.T. that I wanted to watch.” Anne would put on a green swimsuit and imagine herself as Comaneci.

That early ambition eventually gave way to wanting to be a lawyer. “Just the influence of my dad, I guess, and being exposed to his office and the people around him. And then I always knew that I’d have a job right after working for his firm.” But we all know how fate often scoffs at our design — before it promptly turns it on its head.

The Curtis-Smiths had always made time to connect with Filipino relatives in Pangasinan. They’d visit the Philippines every year. After Anne turned 12, dad James thought of relocating the family here altogether. “My dad wanted to try the school system here in the Philippines,” says Anne. “But it was not a permanent decision; it was more like testing the waters.”

So the family moved to Mandaluyong, a place a heartbeat away from EDSA. It was a new adventure for the Australian-born Anne. She had fun riding tricycles and eating Pinoy fast food.

Indeed, after a family meal at the Jollibee branch on the corner of EDSA and Boni Ave., they were approached by a lady who claimed to be a talent scout of sorts. She made a pitch to Carmen, Anne’s mother, to allow the young Anne to do commercials. James wasn’t too thrilled. “My dad said, ‘No, you never know who these people are. It’s a scam.’ But my mom was a frustrated actress who wanted me to join Little Miss Philippines. She was also (cast as) an extra in Pangasinan for Ang Pinakamagandang Babae sa Balat ng Lupa.”

So Anne’s mom prevailed. Soon, Anne was appearing in commercials and ads for everything from petroleum companies to Batman and Robin apparel. That same year, a movie role was finally dangled. Carmen agreed — but only after Anne’s classes. “I remember it so clearly,” Anne says of her audition for her first film project, the 1997 fantasy flick Magic Kingdom. “When we got there, it was starting to get dark. I was in the back of the line because we were late, so they were choosing girls na lang to show to Direk Peque (Gallaga) and Direk Lore (Reyes) — maybe because they were doing it all day already. So I was in my (Colegio de Sta. Rosa) uniform and may gravy pa ’ko noon sa shirt ko (I had gravy on my shirt). Then they selected me and then I went in. I was asked to act like a princess.”

“And then Direk Peque said, ‘That’s her, she’s the princess.’ So that’s how I first started—when I didn’t speak a word of Tagalog. Hindi ko boses yong sa movie (That’s not my voice in the movie),” Anne reveals.

Of course, she had to learn the language. Anne says, “My mom was there to help me. It became a rule not to speak in English. And that’s how you learn. Even if it sounds awful, you’re still learning it. So you could see tumatabingi pa din yung mouth ko sa movie (my mouth was contorted in the movie) because it was awkward.”

Anne Curtis remembers her Magic Kingdom stint so well not just because it was her first celluloid project, but for other significant reasons. “It was a big step for me because it was part of the Metro Manila Film Festival,” she explains. “I was nominated pa. Although at 12, you really don’t think much of it. It was so fun to be on the float! We actually found old video tapes that we transferred onto DVD.”

TGIS on GMA-7 would be the crucial vehicle to truly launch Anne Curtis into stardom. “That’s when my parents said, ‘Okay, this is a regular thing for Anne now.’ So we moved here permanently, though my dad could not stop working, of course. So he would travel every six weeks to visit. My mom and my sister were based here with me.” Expectedly, as Anne’s career flourished, her studies sputtered. “It took me forever to finish high school because of my erratic schedule,” Anne laments. “I had to keep changing schools. Colegio de Sta. Rosa said they did not accept actresses, though it helped us find the DECS home-school program.”

It was well and good for a while, but Anne felt she was short-changing herself because she was missing out on a life experience of being in school. “In my third year, I enrolled at Angelicum. That’s where I also got into cheerleading,” she says. It took her six years, but finish high school Anne did. “From then on, I lived in Manila. My mom and everyone else moved back (to Australia). So at a very young age, I became independent,” she maintains.

“I think that people already know that I don’t really follow any rules, and that I am not pressured about my image. I didn’t change how I grew up or how my lifestyle is for my career. For me, this is who I am. I made booboos growing up and it was normal. I was a teenager, so people accepted my flaws and I did not have any skeletons in my closet.”

I ask Anne how she regards her popularity—pointing out the obvious that, unlike the rest of us citizen Juans, she can’t log off from her celebrity status even when the cameras stop rolling. “I think at the end of the day, people should be thankful that there are those who do recognize you,” she asserts. “Without them, how will you ever move forward in this career? In this industry, you can make a mark as an actor, but it also depends on people admiring you. You should be grateful for that.”

Ironically, Anne’s dad—who once fretted about her entrance into showbiz—imbued her with great insight and appreciation for the popularity she wields. “I had this stage before when we would go to the mall and I just wanted to walk around and not be noticed,” she says. “My dad told me, ‘Anne, smile. You never know how it will make their day.’ He’s right. That is always in my head.”

The young actress declares that fame has “never been a burden” because it has become a part of her life. Anne attributes it to the fact that she started so young. Even insidious rumors are shrugged off. “I’ve learned the art of dedma (ignoring). That’s what I pass on to my sister (the younger Jasmine, who’s also entering showbiz when school’s out in Australia). I tell her to learn the art of dedma because people will always try to pull you down or start something,” she says.

Even as Anne Curtis appears as a girl-woman not even close to the zenith of her already considerable powers, she refuses to surrender completely to the embrace of celebrity. “I think it’s very important that you don’t make this business your whole life,” she declares. “I have a life outside of the world of show business. I have friends in the business but I still have a life out of it that I make time for. It’s very important that you don’t get lost in this world because the fact is, show business isn’t a secure industry. You can last forever, a month—so it’s good that you don’t make it your whole world. You can if you want to and I am not against people who do. But for me I make sure that I have a different life out of it.”

(Photography JUN DE LEON | PeopleAsia August – September 2011) 

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