After accepting the role originally meant for Kris Aquino in the Metro Manila Film Festival horror film Kampon, actress Beauty Gonzalez said she was nothing but grateful for the opportunity that the Queen of All Media then offered to her.

“Siyempre oo agad because I’m very happy and proud that Quantum Films Productions by Atty. Joji (Alonzo) have highly entertaining movies from English Only, Please to Here Comes the Bride, ang daming pelikula na sobrang ganda and blockbusters also. So you know, for Kris Aquino to offer it to me, I knew I was up for the challenge, siyempre sikat siya na horror queen eh, you know gusto ko rin maging ganun.

"This is my first MMFF Parade but it’s not my first MMFF entry. Yung last ko was nasa Feng Shui 2 ako with Coco Martin (and Kris Aquino) pero nasa dulo lang ako eh. So hindi na ako sumama sa parade nun kasi wala, I had other commitments also. But this is my first time to join the parade and I’m very excited,” she told PUSH during the MMFF Parade of Stars held last December 16 in Navotas City. 

READ: Viral photo ni Beauty Gonzalez kung saan kita ang kanyang ‘flowers,’ may go signal ng asawa

Another factor in Beauty accepting the role was getting paired with Derek Ramsay, who plays her husband in the film. In real life, Beauty is best friends with Derek’s wife, Ellen Adarna.

“Knowing na nung nalaman ko pa na si Derek kasama, sabi ko, ‘Go, I’m excited!’ But of course awkwardly excited because he’s the husband of my best friend and you know I met my husband through Ellen also. So it’s kind of awkward but I was up for the challenge and I was excited about it. Nung nalaman ko that the script was already four years in the making, mas na-excite ako kasi parang alam ko through the years how habang tumatagal, mas lalong ma-a-adjust yung script mo, mas lalong gumaganda,” she added. 

READ: Beauty Gonzalez still keeps in touch with Francine Diaz

Beauty also admitted that even though there was initial awkwardness when filming a bed scene with Derek, it was no issue for both their partners in real life.

“Nung una awkward pero I apprciate him kasi he really took good care of me. He was such a gentleman. We talked about it. We did it really fast and quick kasi simple lang naman yung love scene ko. Hindi kasing complicated nung sa kanila (ni Zeinab Harake). So it was really quick and fast so madali lang.  Ang iniisip ko lang naman din si Ellen din pero tinatawanan lang kami ni Ellen eh. Hindi naman niya siniseryoso eh. Pati yung asawa ko sabi hahaha, good luck! Sabi ko, ‘Mga buwisit itong dalawang ‘to, walang ka-support, support!’ (laughs). Wala, we were happy to do it and we’re friends. I mean at the end of the day we’re actors and we’re just acting. It’s nothing real. Our problem is to make it real and to make people believe that we’re really in love. So that’s the challenge,” she revealed. 

The Kampon star and her family are set to celebrate the holidays abroad this year which Beauty is already looking forward to.

“I’ll be out of the country with my family. It’s been a year na I’ve been working and I’m very thankful and blessed about it. So this year I’ll be gone for a month and a half so bawing bawi ako with my family. Baka hindi na ako makauwi sa amin eh. We’re going to South America. It’s been a busy year and I’m very thankful because you know, once everything’s up, go lang ng go. Because when everything’s down, magtatago rin ako (laughs),” she admitted. 

For 2024, the 32-year-old actress said she already has some goals in mind. “I want to be spiritually more not in God, but within myself. I want to do yoga training, I want to explore art noir films. Marami kayong aabangan and that film with Carlo Ledesma next year with Sid Lucero. It’s a film noir. It’s black and white. And I’m so, so excited for you to see it. I want more films like that. And also more TV shows. May bahay akong tinatayo eh so kailangan bayaran (laughs). And not for anything else, alam ko naman my husband would help me but I would want to do it on my own. Pero pag hindi ko na kaya, mawawala na yung mga paintings sa bahay isa isa (laughs). Yun na yun,” she explained.