Barbie, Kyline & Ruffa On Handling Showbiz's Beauty Demands and Expectations

It's a given that beauty opens doors in showbiz. Some even say it's half the job.

- By Nathalie Tomada

But with more people now talking about self-love and being real, you can't help but wonder: If beauty is treated like currency in this industry, how far can it really take you? And how long can it keep those doors open?

That's the kind of conversation that came up during a roundtable interview with the lead stars of "Beauty Empire"—Barbie Forteza, Kyline Alcantara and Ruffa Gutierrez—the revenge-themed drama from GMA, Viu and CreaZion Studios. The show airs on GMA Prime, Mondays to Thursdays at 9:35 p.m., and is also available to global Pinoys via GMA Pinoy TV.

As public figures, the image game is constant. Barbie admitted, "Since we're public figures, we need to maintain that certain image, not just in front of the camera but in public. There's really just a thin line between personal life and professional life. Feeling ko, that's more pressuring: maintaining a good image over trying to fit into certain beauty standards."

Kyline, on the other hand, said she's now seeing things differently: "There's no pressure at all, for some reason. I think I'm in this era—hopefully not a phase in life—where I'm just gonna put out there, in public, who I really am. Hindi lahat ipapakita ko...yung mga moments na umiiyak ako or yung mga nahihirapan ako. But who am I in person, I'm also like that on social media. So it's up to you if you want to accept it or not. The important thing, I'm just staying true to myself."

Ruffa, who grew up in the spotlight, knows all too well how relentless the scrutiny can be. "I grew up in the industry since I was 13. Andyan parin talaga yung 'you're only about the physical.' It's true. But once you talk to a person, that's when you realize, 'Mabait pala siya.' Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you can't avoid it in our industry. Pag tumaba ka: 'Ay, ang taba mo, bat ganun?' Laging andun yung pamimintas.