Anne Curtis: Bolder and Better
by Pepper Marcelo

NO doubt about it, 2011 was Anne Curtis’s year. The Fil-Australian beauty has gradually metamorphosed from a beguiling, somewhat innocent and bubbly face on TV and film to a more mature, confident and sophisticated actress. This was much evident in her breakout film, No Other Woman, which was one of the blockbuster movies last year and one of the most successful local films of all time.
During her 14-year showbiz career, Anne’s played teenybopper roles in a variety of soaps, romantic comedies and fantaseryes. For the first time last year, the actress-TV host-now singer decided to shifts gears by playing a seductress in the adult drama No Other Woman. She recalls that when she was offered a role of a morally questionable character that was so different from her previous roles, she didn’t hesitate to seize it.
 “I was so excited, from wearing the swimsuits to different outfits to my hair, prinepare ko talaga. At kitang-kita niyo naman yun sa movie,” she told reporters during a press conference for the film.
She took the bold move, she said, to surprise audiences and fans, and signal that she’s not a young girl anymore. “I think people don't realize that I'm turning 27 (on Feb. 17) . They don't see it kasi napaka-bubbly ko 'di ba? So people don't realize that as an actress it's also my desire to get roles that help me mature as an actress and I feel that this could be it.”
Taking on new challenges is part of her plans to be taken more seriously as a capable dramatic actress  “I think I've always been very open na gusto ko talaga to do something different,” “Kasi 14 years na ako sa industriyang ito, parang lahat na yata nagawa ko. So ito ang hindi ko pa talaga nagagawa.”
She adds: “It's something na hindi pa nila ako nakikitang nag-portray, kasi lagi na lang comedy or rom-com (romance-comedy) so it's a breath of fresh air for me so sana magustuhan ninyo yung character ko dito.”
In the film, Anne plays a resort heiress who seduces a married furniture salesman, played by Derek Ramsay. Rounding off the cast is Cristine Reyes, who plays the jilted wife.
With such an undeniably sexy role, many expected Anne to suddenly do a 180-degree turn from her bubbly image and be more “bold”, including semi-nudity and torrid love scenes. She explains that although it is an adult-themed story, the execution and presentation are tasteful and not vulgar. “The scenes are enough for adults or young adults, I'd have to say. It's nothing too sexy na tipong you'd have to close your eyes. Hindi naman siya ganung leveling. It's sexy siguro more in a way na may mga naka-swimsuit and stuff like that and also because what we're tackling is domestic life already, married na kaya naging ganun siya.”
Anne says she draws inspiration from one of her favorite Hollywood actresses, Natalie Portman, who has successfully transitioned from child actress to full-fledged mature adult roles.
“Yung role niya sa ‘Closer’ you could see that she really tackles mature roles na hindi mo iisipin kung bagay ba sa kanya yun? Pero ginawa niya at na-achieve. ‘Black Swan’ also was super duper more mature, pero I want that. I want to move forward as an actress.”
No Other Woman has earned P278 million, making it the second highest grossing Filipino movie of all time, next to The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin, which grossed P331 million. You Changed My Life, topbilled by John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo, previously held the top spot with P209 million.
Echoing the movie’s plot of a wife trying to keep her marriage and fighting to keep the man she loves, Anne admits she would do the same in real life. .
“Mababaliw ka talaga sa taong mahal mo at hindi mo na iisipin ang mga consequence ng gagawin mo. Oo, gagawin ko talaga yun para sa taong mahal ko.”
She adds: Kasi, I think, everyone, sinasabi nilang talaga, hindi, hiwalay 'yan, di ba? But the thing is, when you're in that position, hindi mo kaya, e. Kailangan mong malaman na ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin niya. So, ipaglalaban mo. At siyempre, gusto mong ipamukha sa kung sinuman siya na ikaw ang pinili, di ba?”
To be sure, Anne’s role does not mirror her off-screen situation. She has been in a stable relationship with her non-showbiz beau Erwan Heussaff, younger brother of model-actress Solenn Heussaff.  
“To say that I have a perfect relationship now, I don't think anyone can have a perfect relationship, but I'd like to think that my relationship is the closest you can get to perfect,” she shared. The sweethearts have become especially closer in recent months, with Anne even going spending a brief vacation to meet Erwan’s family in France.
Asked how her boyfriend reacted to her intimate scenes with co-star Derek Ramsay, she replied, “Work ko yun at naiintindihan naman niya yun.”  
There are no marriage plans in the next four years or so, she said. “That would be ideal for me. It's not in my hands naman, it's in the guy's hands. If I feel na it's the right time, then go.”
            She feels she has more to accomplish in that time span. Not content to be an actress-host, Anne has larger ambitions in becoming an all-around performer, which includes singing as well. In October she released a solo album, titled Annebisyosa, which has been certified as a gold album with sales of 7,500 and counting.
She acknowledges that some maybe skeptical of her singing talents but that does not hinder her ambition to be a total performer. Describing her venture into pop music as a “dream come true,” said, “I don't really mind kung lalaitin ang voice ko or whatever kasi it's part of it naman. Hindi din naman ako nagsasabi na singer ako o diva ako kasi alam naman natin lahat na hindi totoo.”
            Following up on the success of her debut album, the Princess of All Media is set to conquer the stage of Araneta Coliseum no less in her first major concert, Annebisyosa – No Other Concert World Tour, set on Jan. 28.
Capping her string of successes, Anne is the first Filipino celebrity to garner one million followers on Twitter.
Looking back, she gushed, “I’m so content with her life. My 2011 is fantastic. A rollercoaster. A scary and yet best and most thrilling year of my life. So many things kept on happening. One after the other. I guess it pays off when you don’t expect anything, all the more you appreciate, all the more blessings that come into your life. Wala na kong hihingin pa.”