KRISTINE, KATHLEEN AND MAXINE HERMOSA: STAR-BOUND PRETTY SISTERS
by Jennifer R. Casipit
Family Today, May 16-31 2001

'Muy hermosa,' is an expression that easily comes to mind when looking at these three beautiful young women. Their looks may be earning them their places in showbiz firmament but it is their talents that will make them its brightest stars.

IT is clear that a superior genetic makeup is at play where the Hermosa sisters are concerned. They’re all stunningly pretty, although each is gifted with a set of features unique from the other. They’re also very talented. Of the three, the first two sisters are into showbiz as part of ABS-CBN’s stable of talents.

Kathleen, the eldest at 20, has recently taken a less-active stance in the showbiz arena when she decided to concentrate on her studies for the meantime. The youngest girl, nine-year-old Maxine, is still studying at OB Montessori. But from the enthusiastic way in which she had herself dolled up for this pictorial, one can safely assume that a showbiz career is bound to follow. Kristine, fondly called ‘Tin” by her siblings, is undoubtedly the famous celebrity. She has already been in show business for five years now and, at 17, won for herself a comfortable niche in the industry as one of its most promising young actresses.

This, in fact, is a most surprising development, particularly because Kristine was very reluctant about joining showbiz in the first place. She became a member of the Star Circle Batch 4 when she was only 12. As young as she was, she already had a presence that made her stand out from the rest. The only perceivable drawback was that she was incredibly shy.

Hectic schedule

Now, deeply mired in endless movie and TV projects, not to mention her fair share of intrigues, Knstine’s sweet nature remains, but the cringing shyness has given way to confidence. And if at all possible, she has grown even prettier. The distinctive mestiza looks she inherited from her half-Spanish mom, Alma Hermosa-Orille, while her imposing height she got from her marine engineer dad, Maximillan.

When this pictorial was held that Sunday afternoon, Kristine was bone-tired from a taping for the soap opera Pangako Sa ‘Yo, where she stars opposite Jericho Rosales. She still had to go to Cavite immediately afterwards and the strain was beginning to tell on her.

Nonetheless, she still looked better than any well-rested female. And in between yawns, she talked gamely about her career and her life at home with loved ones. Kristine is particularly happy talking about her two-month-old brother, Joshua Miguel.

“Before, after taping, parang I want to sleep na lang. Now hindi. Para akong laging buhay na buhay because I want to see my brother,” she gushes.

Though she’s satisfied with the successful turn her showbiz career has taken, Kristine’s only regret is that she has less time for her family and friends. Now, her only opportunity to bond with the entire family is to go to church with them for Sunday mass. 

Sibling rivalry

How Kristine got into showbiz has been told and re-told to many. It has even become a subject of much talk among the intrigue-hungry press, who claimed that a sibling rivalry brews between the Hermosa sisters.

Kathleen, the more outgoing of the two, wanted to audition for Star Circle and asked Kristine to accompany her. But Kathleen did not make it the first time. Kristine, however, passed the auditions.

Amid speculations that Kathleen resents her for making it to the Star Circle sooner than she did, Kristine is quick to defend her older sister. “Maybe at first, siyempre kahit sino sasama yung loob. Pero mabilis niyang na-overcome iyon. Sobrang sinusuportahan ako ng sister ko. Siya nga ang nagturo sa akin kumanta at sumayaw eh.

“Ngayon, happy siya sa life niya, happy din ako so life ko. Tipong ‘yung hindi ko nakukuhang life ngayon, nakuha niya. And yung di niya nakuhang life ngayon, nakuhako.”

The outspoken Kathleen has another take on the matter. “Nakapasok si Kristine dito because I insisted, ‘Join na! Go for it!’ Hindi ako natanggap, nagpasama ako so kanya noon. Kung hindi siya kasama, waba siya ngayon diyan, “ she chuckles.

Learning from showbiz

The two have obviously learned to take such malicious gossips in stride. The same isn’t the case with their mom however.

“Hindi si Kristine ang affected, ako ang affected," Alma relates. “Ako ang umiiyak. Kasi para sa kanya, 'What for, mama? Hindi naman totoo. (I don’t owe) explanations so tao.’ Sabi ko lang, kailangan mag-iingat ka.”

But before Kristine managed to take on this dismissive attitude towards intrigues, she admits that she almost quit showbiz because of it. Fortunately, her spunk won out as she realized that quitting would make her the loser.

Now, she just prefers to look at the learning experience she got from being a part of showbiz. “Na-develop ko dito yung confidence. And then mas nakita ko yung real world. Nakita ko ang iba‘t-ibang klase ng people. At ngayon, napapahalagahan ko na yung trabaho. Before, when I started, wala lang. I was just playing. Feeling ko hindi ko talaga linya ito.

“Sometimes nga lang, yung ibang gusto inong gawin, hindi mo inagagawa. Like ‘yung dati mong napupuntahan, hindi mo na napupuntahan. Hindi mo na rin nasusuot yung inga nasusuot mo before. Iyun nga siguro tabaga yung risk na kailangan i-take pag nandito ka sa showbiz. Kailangan lang maging open-minded.”

Female bonding

For all their celebrity status, the Hermosa sisters like to go malling just like any other teenager. They usually go with their mom or with their own set of friends. Kristine claims to having a penchant for checking out wares in a tiangge.

And when mommy Alma is busy shopping, the three sisters would always go to the arcade and proceed to splurge on tokens as they try out their skills on one game after another. It’s an addiction that they readily admit to having.

Quiet time at home for the sisters would mean listening to music, reading pocketbooks. The craze for the moment, however, is cross-stitching. As for Kristine and Kathleen, they both developed the hobby of taking pictures. Whenever possible, they lug their camera along and take nature shots or other subjects that catch their fancy.

Apparently also, they share a predilection for gossip about fellow celebrities. This manifested itself when, during this interview, we had to stop talking for a few moments each time their eyes were drawn like a magnet to the TV mounted in one corner of the lounge, listening to the latest tidbits shown on The Buzz.

Other sisterly things they do for each other is swapping fashion advice. Or, to be more accurate, Kristine receiving fashion advice from her older sister. “Pintas na pintas talaga ako, “she grimaces. “I do admit na I’m kind of baduy but...”

“She’s just conservative,” Kathleen clarifies. “Ngayon lang siya mas nasasanay inagsusuot ng ganyan.”

Future plans

Maxine claims to be really proud of her sisters and what they have achieved in showbiz. As to the possibility of her following in their footsteps, she responds with a shrug and a hanging, “Okay lang.”

The precocious nine-year-old loves reading novels by Danielle Steele, and among her favorite school subjects are Botany and Zoology. She says that her older sisters give her great advice: “Galingan ko daw so school at saka mag-
aral daw nang inabuti.”

For her jart, Kathleen has chosen to have her showbiz career take the ixtckseat as she works on earning a college degree in Information Technology. She still has a few TV guestings up her sleeve, plus an upcoming movie which stars Maricel Soriano.

The part she plays in this movie seems to follow the mold of her usual choice in roles—challenging and none of the “love team” types. She’s happy with this career path although, if she were given a choice, she would also have wanted to sing. 

Kristine, on the other hand, has chosen to put off her studies for a while. “As long as kilala pa ako ng tao, grab the opportunity lang. Pero of course ipagpapatuloy ko talaga yung studies ko, hindi puwedeng hindi. My plan is kung rnag-decide ako to concentrate on my studies na, I’ll stop totally na muna here in show business.”

Besides, she is clearly enjoying it. And it would be tantamount to a crime—at least in the eyes of her many fans—if she just abandoned her career when Pangako So ‘Yo is raking in high ratings. “Sobrang happy lahat ng tao sa staff dahil yung trabaho namin na almost everyday, at least may nakikita kaming pinagbubunga, “Kristine smiles.

Considering the many achievements she has already garnered, as well as her obvious happiness over her career, her parents reined in their initial protests about her joining showbiz and just let her be. In a way also, they are very proud of what Kristine has accomplished.

“Hindi natin siya pinu-push. Pero we’re happy doon sa progress,” Alma says. “Tinuturuan namin siya about how to get along sa tao. Hindi niya kasi kaya makipagplastikan. Tinuturuan namin siya na hindi lahat ng tao mapi-please, kahit gaano ka ka-sincere sa kanila.”

So far, the steadfast support of her family is working well both for Kathleen and Kristine as they trek through the rough roads of showbiz. As for the relationship between the two sister-actresses, Kathleen has this to say, “Marami nang pinagdaanan si Tin. She deserves the success she is getting.” FT

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