MANILA, Philippines – Juggling motherhood, married life, and a blossoming career isn’t easy, but Cristine Reyes seems to be taking it all in stride.
Career-wise, things couldn’t be better for the 28-year-old actress. Cristine recently starred as one of the leads in Star Cinema’s Seven Sundays and also topbills Octo Arts Films’ Halloween offering, Spirit of the Glass 2: The Haunted.
Cristine has shed her sexy image in favor of more wholesome roles. In the family drama Seven Sundays, Cristine plays a mom of 3, while in the horror film Spirit of the Glass 2, she takes on the role of a magazine editor/it-girl.
Has she become selective of her roles, now that she’s married?
“Honestly, hindi ako namimili. Parang naging automatic na siya eh. Parang yun na yung ino-offer sa akin,” she said in an interview with Rappler.
(Honestly, I'm not choosy. It was just automatic for me. It's like that's what's been offered to me.)
Despite the apparent change in her choice of roles, Cristine is grateful for the opportunities that come her way.
“I’m happy ‘cause it goes to show na yung management and yung other companies – movie producers and other people in the industry – know that I’m married and I have a kid already. I’m happy that I’m accepted.”
Though she's still open to doing sexy roles, she does have a few rules about what she's willing to do.
“Basta maganda 'yung project, basta maganda 'yung pagkakasulat, basta okay ang director at ang buong cast, okay ako,” she said.
(As long as the project is good, the script is well written, and the director and the cast is okay, I'm fine with it.)
Cristine’s career is definitely in an upswing, and her recent projects could lead to more challenging roles that may bring her recognition as a serious actress. Should that happen, the actress says she would be more than happy to accept such challenges, taking the challenges of raising a family in stride.
“I would embrace it,” she declared.
Cristine has a two-year-old daughter, Amarah, with mixed martial artist Ali Khatibi, whom she married last year. She admits that being married and having a child has changed her life, but in a good way.
“Malaking bagay. Hindi katulad dati nung mag-isa ako (It's a big thing. Unlike before when I was by myself), I can do whatever I want, whenever I wanna go. And now it has changed me. It changes my priorities in life. Changes my goal in life.”
Cristine also admits that balancing her work and home lives haven't been easy, but she tries her best.
“It’s hard to balance family, career, daughter, husband. Mahirap. May masasakripisyo talaga (Something will be sacrificed), either family or work. Sometimes you just have to accept na minsan – eto dalawang pelikula ginawa ko – two months ko sila hindi ko talaga makakasama. But we see to it that every Sunday may family day talaga kami.”
(Sometimes you just have to accept that sometimes – like these two movies I made – I wasn't really able to be with them for two months. But we see to it that every Sunday, we have family day.)
Overall, Cristine couldn’t be happier with the way her personal life and career is going. “I can say I’m 100 percent happy. I’m content. And I have what I want in life,” she said.
Written and directed by Jose Javier Reyes, Spirit of the Glass 2 : The Haunted also stars Daniel Matsunaga, Maxine Medina, Benjamin Alves, Ashley Ortega, Enrico Cuenca, Janine Gutierrez, Dominic Roque, and Aaron Villaflor. – Rappler.com
