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1 on 1: How Romnick Sarmenta stays centered after 45 years in showbiz

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Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2295554" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>MANILA — Now on his 45th year in showbiz, Romnick Sarmenta revealed the “daily work” that goes into remaining centered as a person and in his private life, amid the constant distractions and flattery that come with being a public figure.</p><p>Debuting as a child actor in the ‘70s via the iconic “Gulong ng Palad,” Sarmenta has since worn many hats on screen, from teen heartthrob, action star, to leading man. Most recently, he’s father to Daniel Padilla in the hit primetime drama “2 Good 2 Be True.”</p><p>For Sarmenta, acting has been a way of life, not just a profession, he told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>Recalling a conversation he had with his showbiz contemporary Gelli de Belen, his co-star in the ongoing series, Sarmenta said: “Hindi nga namin alam na artista kami [noong mga bata kami], akala namin parte ng buhay namin iyon, para kasing normal ng pagpasok sa eskuwela.</p><p>“The fact na nababayaran kami sa trabaho just told us na, ‘Uy, trabaho pala ‘to.’ Noong lumalaki kami, nakasanayan mo na at natutunan mong mahalin ang trabaho mo, na hindi mo na tinitingnan kung gaano kalaki aabutin o gaano katagal. Ini-enjoy mo lang siya habang nandiyan siya.”</p><p>Sarmenta, 50, pointed out that there were several times when he went on hiatus from showbiz, to focus on business and his family. “Pero tinawag ako ulit,” he said.</p><div><strong>‘NOT TO BE FAMOUS OR TO BE KNOWN’</strong></div><p>With a career spanning decades, Sarmenta now opts to only take on projects that would allow him to still spend enough time with his family — he has five children with his former wife Harlene Bautista, and a 1-year-old with his current partner Barbara Ruaro — and juggle other pursuits like teaching in college.</p><p>“What’s a blessing now is I get to enjoy looking at this work again in a different way. Sa ibang tao, ‘Showbiz ‘yan.’ Sa inyo. Pero sa amin, parte ‘to ng buhay namin. Ito ang alam namin. If you put me in any other work, siguro I would feel like fish out of water. Puwede ko pag-aralan, pero hindi siya kasing natural para sa akin katulad nito,” he said.</p><p>“It has never been to be famous or to be known,” Sarmenta emphasized. “It’s just simply telling a story that we feel is important for others, ‘yung paggawa namin ng ganito. Salamat sa Diyos na nandito pa rin kami. Kung gaano katagal pa siya abutin, salamat ulit.”</p><p>As that passion sustained through his active years in showbiz, Sarmenta also learned in that span of time to delineate between being an actor and being a public figure.</p><p>In the last five years, Sarmenta’s private life notably made headlines, including his separation from Bautista after 19 years of marriage, and later, his subsequent relationship with Ruaro.</p><p>“Dapat kaya mong timplahin ano ‘yung mga bagay na makakaapekto sa ‘yo, ano ‘yung mga bagay na ipaglalaban mo, ano ‘yung mga bagay na kaya mong palampasin. This has got to be one of the most misunderstood professions. Ano ba ang pagkakaiba ng public figure sa public property?</p><p>“Ako, personally, nasasaktan ako para sa actors and actresses who get bashed by people who don’t know them, because I’ve also felt that before. Ang dali para sa inyo magsalita, ang dali para sa inyo na magsabi ng mga palagay niyo at manghusga ng mga ginagawa o akala niyong ginagawa ng mga tao sa trabahong ‘to, without understanding them or without knowing the entire truth of their story,” he said.</p><div><strong>KEY TO STAYING LONGER</strong></div><p>As an actor who strives to keep improving, Sarmenta pointed out that many in the industry listen to feedback to their performances. That includes reading comments on social media, which, unfortunately, often goes hand-in-hand with seeing hurtful words not just about their craft, but their personal life.</p><p>“This day and age, people are just so abrasive with words, dahil nakatago sila sa likod ng keyboard, ng gadget, ng screen at wala silang presence o personality na kilala ng madla,” he said.</p><p>Discernment and being grounded, Sarmenta emphasized, are key to setting apart which words do matter from those that should be ignored.</p><p>“Aakalain mo na ang buong pagkatao mo ay kung paano ang tingin sa ‘yo ng maingay na grupo. Whether mas marami sila o mas kaunti, sila lang kasi ‘yung mas maingay, aakalain mong ganu’n ka. You either think you’re really that good at lalaki ang ulo mo, or you think that you so suck na hindi mo na gusto magtrabaho ulit. When in truth, hindi naman iyon ang totoo.</p><p>“So you have to know, sino ba ang pakikinggan ko? Ano ba ako? Sino ba ako? ‘Pag na-figure out mo ang sagot sa mga ‘yun, I think you have a better chance of enjoying this work and staying here a little bit longer,” he said.</p><p>When asked whether he has come to know his true self at age 50 and after 45 years in the industry, Sarmenta answered: “It’s daily work. It’s part of prayer and reflection and constant communication with the people I feel matter the most in my life.”</p><p>Speaking with ABS-CBN News, Sarmenta also spoke at length about his acting process, the journey of his character Fred in “2 Good 2 Be True,” the “family” he has found on set, and the “magic” of his co-stars Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla both on screen and behind the cameras.</p><div><strong>Related videos:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6jnalATFfmU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wo5TMqSGQcI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GUJJhDGM00?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

1 on 1: How Romnick Sarmenta stays centered after 45 years in showbiz

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1 on 1: How Romnick Sarmenta stays centered after 45 years in showbiz

Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 18, 2022 06:37 PM PHT

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Romnick Sarmenta

2 Good 2 Be True

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