Bianca Umali talks about navigating through her career with the help of her daily life practices
Being under the spotlight has its flaws and merits. Through the comfort of the screen, many would deduce little bits and pieces about the personality—even if the content only shows a portion of their life behind the camera. On the other hand, these personalities experience what it means to be in the spotlight—but the sacrifices it entails? It’s a part of their life we may never understand as we remain in the safety of our privacy.
Spotlight, solitude, and sagacity—these come along as stars navigate their way through the trials of their career. This time around, we get to unravel the ways of a star through the life of Bianca Umali.
The Filipina actress started her career at a young age, which led her to experience the demands and taxing responsibilities that come with being a child celebrity. When she was two, the actress went into commercial modeling, but transitioned to become a host at the young age of nine—a steady climb to the career she eventually landed in the future.
Navigating through the busy entertainment industry, Bianca Umali grounded herself with three things in mind. She shared that throughout her childhood, she felt guided and protected as time went on. While her grandmother became a constant in her life, Bianca also acknowledged that she is basically the reason behind her life. Bianca expressed, “First, it’s God and my angels—my mom and dad. My grandmother comes in second because without her, I wouldn’t be where I am and I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
Lastly, her intuition played a big factor during the ascend of her career. The actress played by her own rules and made sure that she was aware of the steps she took and the emotions that would take over her heart. This helped her boost the confidence she had on herself when hurdles would come her way. Her self-awareness and confidence combined, Bianca Umali became fearless during the lowest points of her life—she became her own woman as she continued on to rise up and survive.
“I have come to realize that being alone is never a weakness. In fact, it is a strength that not everyone can attain.”
The other side of becoming a child star is the constant battle against the pressure from the public. Having to deal with the words of many, the lens of the media, and criticism from the majority—these can easily influence the mind of a young woman. To keep herself grounded amidst the noise, Bianca Umali shared that she keeps it intentional to remind herself daily of the purpose behind her career. The actress admitted wholeheartedly, “Honestly, to ground one’s self is never easy, especially being in the entertainment industry. Everyday, I make it a point to remind myself to look back and remember why, where, and how I started.”
As she continued on with her career, Bianca Umali started to explore various genres that would help improve her artistry. How she handles herself on a daily basis is reflected in her work, constantly making sure that her role has depth, purpose, representation, and uniqueness—these are the little details the actress would eye for as she takes on new characters.
We get to understand the world of acting on a deeper level as the actress goes further into her artistry when she talks about her way of navigating the characters, a method she crafted through the experiences she had in her career and life as the years went by. Surprisingly, Bianca revealed that she views her work and personal life as one—never seeing them as two different entities that would sometimes make it hard for her to distinguish which is which. It’s a balance she was able to figure out and it only improved her way of acting.
Having to place your mind and heart in a state of someone else is no easy gig, especially when the story contains a heavy theme. It becomes a responsibility that one carries as they tell a tale that many might see themselves in, and it’s a role that Bianca Umali embraces as she goes on with her career. The moment Bianca lets her art speak for itself is when the freedom to express is welcomed in her space.
“I am very much passionate about what I do. I can say that, as an actor, insanity is my sanity.”
Photography DOOKIE DUCAY
Creative Direction NICOLE ALMERO
Art Direction BRIE VENTURA, assisted by MOIRA MANILAO
Fashion Direction RYUJI SHIOMITSU
Styling JOHN PAUL DIZON
Beauty Direction MARA GO
Makeup THAZZIA FALEK
Hair MYCKE ARCANO
Sittings Editor PEACHES GARCIA
Producers MEGA DIGITAL (CARYLL CABUHAT, JEMIMA CRUZ, CHLARINE GIANAN, MARA GO, and MIKA REYES)
Video Production AUDREY SISON
Videography KIERAN PUNAY
Production Design JOSIAH HIPOLITO, assisted by JOB CONSTANTINO
Shoot Coordination KZ FRANCISCO
All pieces by CHRIS NICK
