Andrea Brillantes gets real about the pressures of being a child star and her family's breadwinner
Andrea Brillantes opened up about the hardships of having to enter the entertainment industry and supporting her family all by herself at an early age.
In a vlog posted on her YouTube channel, Andrea took the time to reminisce about her old photos and videos taken when she was still a budding child star.
On what led her towards the path of show business, she recalled, "Nagsimula siyang lahat nung sumali ako sa beauty pageant nung seven years old ako kasi naaksidente 'yung kuya ko and kailangan namin ng panggamot. After nun, nag-artista na ako, nag-audition na ako."
However, that wasn't the time when Andrea was supposed to become an actress.
"Initially talaga, dapat four pa lang ako. Nag-audition na ako nung four years old ako. Pinilit kasi ako ng mommy ko nun, tapos nakita niya na wala pala akong talent. As in hindi ako nakapagsalita at all," Andrea said, sharing that the audition was for the 2007 television series Marimar starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes.
"Nag-give up na si mama sa dreams niya na maging artista ako nun, pero nung nanalo ako ng beauty pageant nung seven years old ako, nagkaroon ako ng confidence na 'Oh my god, I think pinanganak ako para sa mundong ito,'" she added.
Near the end of the vlog, Andrea admitted that not everything was glitz and glam in terms of becoming an actress at such an early age.
"Madaming beses din talaga na gusto ko na pong mag-give up dahil hindi lang pagiging child star, pagiging breadwinner din at a very very young age. So andaming pressure nun," she said.
"Ang bigat-bigat din kasi ng mga tapings ko lately, feeling ko kinailangan ko 'to na mabalikan ko kung saan ako nagsimula," she continued, noting that she remains happy and proud of everything she has accomplished so far.
The local star's first television appearance was in the children's comedy show Goin' Bulilit in 2010. She landed her first lead role in the family drama series Annaliza three years later. She's best known for her role in the 2018 series Kadenang Ginto.